Life could be getting a little easier for the ‘Grunt’.

[Resasi]

The US Army has been looking for a vehicle that can carry about 1,000 pounds worth of soldier equipment and lightening the load of nine soldiers across an infantry squad. The robots should be to be able to travel 60 miles over three days, provide a spare kilowatt hour of power while moving, and at least 3 kilowatt hours while stationary.

Four companies had been chosen at the end of 2017, from a range of companies who had been competing, and their vehicles were then tested and evaluated. Polaris Defense; General Dynamics Land Systems; HDT Expeditionary Systems and Howe & Howe built 20 platforms each.



Dynamic's Land Systems’ Multi-Utility Tactical Transport, or MUTT, is a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport unmanned ground system that has won an initial contract for the eight-wheel drive vehicle totals $162.4 million. This includes support hardware, user training and technical support. The contract will wrap up at the end of October 2024, according to an Oct. 30 Defense Department announcement.

Here’s the robotic vehicle that will carry equipment for US troops

The U.S. Army has picked a winner for its Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport System program after several years of evaluation.

www.defensenews.com

 

[MoleBath]

The Guards will be looking for a version with plenty of brasswork to polish , procurement will want something dearer and more complicated and old sweats will be delighted with 6 wheels and memories of Stalwart and Saladin

 

[dingerr]

It won’t make any difference, they had quads and springers in Afghanistan that were not used to best effect. Troops were often laden down with ammo and equipment while Sgt Majs were happy to be camp rats.

 

[beardyProf]

What a load of boll*cks. virtually anywhere you can get one of these you can get an APC, so why not. Wonderful scheme for the manufacturer's profit margin, bog all actual military value except in a few very selectivity terrain types all of which fit the criteria, 'not where you fight a big war anyway'. Of course it's electric so 'green' so it must be of some use to box ticking departments as well.

I bet we'll have to buy an Anglicised, over priced, gold plated version for all the 'light infantry' battalions, which will soak up money better spent on something useful, like MBTs, AIFVs or SPA.

 

[theoriginalphantom]

The MoD won't have a version unless it has carry straps, is designated 'man portable' and weighs as much as a land rover. It'll also have to involve a long and boring operators course where nobody will actually touch a real one (like the abortion that was the two week bowman death by PowerPoint nightmare)

 

[labrat]

So, they’ve invented the Argocat?

3kwh sounds good though - should be just enough to power the kettle!

 

[Just_plain_you]

I predict that it won't make life any easier. The infantry will still be carrying 40+ kilos of the lightest equipment ever fielded.

 

[AULD_SWEAT]

And one for the HCR....10 years time they'll be riding down the Mall on these..

 

[exbluejob]

And one for the HCR....10 years time they'll be riding down the Mall on these..

Bigdog was cancelled years ago, MUTT seems to be the replacement. Basically bigdog was cancelled because it's really NOISY!

Edited to add link:

US marines reject BigDog robotic packhorse because it's too noisy

‘They took it as it was: a loud robot that’s going to give away their position,’ said a military spokesman of Boston Dynamics’ LS3 quadruped

www.theguardian.com

 

[Red Hander]

Heading here for trials too.

Not 100% sure about the concept: noise, putting eggs in one basket, maintenance, etc.

General Dynamics Selected for British Army Warfighting Experiment 2019 - Overt Defense

General Dynamics UK has announced its participation in the British Army Warfighting Experiment 2019 with its Manned-Unmanned Teaming proposal.

www.overtdefense.com

 

[bob_the_bomb]

What a load of boll*cks. virtually anywhere you can get one of these you can get an APC, so why not. Wonderful scheme for the manufacturer's profit margin, bog all actual military value except in a few very selectivity terrain types all of which fit the criteria, 'not where you fight a big war anyway'. Of course it's electric so 'green' so it must be of some use to box ticking departments as well.

I bet we'll have to buy an Anglicised, over priced, gold plated version for all the 'light infantry' battalions, which will soak up money better spent on something useful, like MBTs, AIFVs or SPA.

It’ll be worth it for the BV though...

However the problem will be when (a) it inevitably goes VoR and (b) the kitlist has already expanded to include all that ‘necessary’ extra kit.

I remember when we trialled the Berghaus Centurion as a replacement for the large pack. It was amazing how the kit list expanded...

...but still, a BV

 

[dingerr]

Noise is usually irrelevant if you are travelling in a company or battalion snake.

Id rather see solutions to lighten the load, that’s an all round better option.

 

[MrBane]

It won’t make any difference, they had quads and springers in Afghanistan that were not used to best effect. Troops were often laden down with ammo and equipment while Sgt Majs were happy to be camp rats.

Yep, and the only guy in the squadron who got the quad qual was of course, the SM

 

[Ruckerwocman]

The US Army has been looking for a vehicle that can carry about 1,000 pounds worth of soldier equipment and lightening the load of nine soldiers across an infantry squad. The robots should be to be able to travel 60 miles over three days, provide a spare kilowatt hour of power while moving, and at least 3 kilowatt hours while stationary.

Four companies had been chosen at the end of 2017, from a range of companies who had been competing, and their vehicles were then tested and evaluated. Polaris Defense; General Dynamics Land Systems; HDT Expeditionary Systems and Howe & Howe built 20 platforms each.



Dynamic's Land Systems’ Multi-Utility Tactical Transport, or MUTT, is a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport unmanned ground system that has won an initial contract for the eight-wheel drive vehicle totals $162.4 million. This includes support hardware, user training and technical support. The contract will wrap up at the end of October 2024, according to an Oct. 30 Defense Department announcement.

Here’s the robotic vehicle that will carry equipment for US troops

The U.S. Army has picked a winner for its Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport System program after several years of evaluation.

www.defensenews.com

Everything old is now new again. We had the M274 Mechanical Mule. Handy for shifting crates of small arms ammo or other impedimenta on the battlefield or in the field. They were not green because they had a small gasoline engine on them instead of an electric motor, but they had a purpose.

 

[oldsoak]

Howsabout a quad bike and light trailer carrying water, fuel for quad, rations, med kit, spare batteries for radio/ecm/valun and a couple of cans of ammo. Blokes to carry only BA and webbing. None of this getting knackered in the first few K's carrying 60kg plus and getting more so as you get further in and fatigue starts switching people off. Cheap as.
@bob_the_bomb point is well made though, if we lighten the load we "expand the possibilities" by having room for extra kit - the extra stuff that people who dont carry it think you must have. The just in case scenarios that are as likely as a rich society beauty ringing you up for a gallop in the hotel of your choice.

 

[dogmeat]

The US Army has been looking for a vehicle that can carry about 1,000 pounds worth of soldier equipment and lightening the load of nine soldiers across an infantry squad. The robots should be to be able to travel 60 miles over three days, provide a spare kilowatt hour of power while moving, and at least 3 kilowatt hours while stationary.

Four companies had been chosen at the end of 2017, from a range of companies who had been competing, and their vehicles were then tested and evaluated. Polaris Defense; General Dynamics Land Systems; HDT Expeditionary Systems and Howe & Howe built 20 platforms each.



Dynamic's Land Systems’ Multi-Utility Tactical Transport, or MUTT, is a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport unmanned ground system that has won an initial contract for the eight-wheel drive vehicle totals $162.4 million. This includes support hardware, user training and technical support. The contract will wrap up at the end of October 2024, according to an Oct. 30 Defense Department announcement.

Here’s the robotic vehicle that will carry equipment for US troops

The U.S. Army has picked a winner for its Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport System program after several years of evaluation.

www.defensenews.com

I'm sure the contracts are full of clauses excluding liability for highly unlikely possibilities such as wheels falling off in the middle of ops, or the autonomous unmanned nav system swanning off with all the squad's food and ammo into the ulu in the middle of the night.

All quiet-like.

 

[javaguzzisti]

The Universal carrier in WWII anyone?

 

[oldsoak]

I'm sure the contracts are full of clauses excluding liability for highly unlikely possibilities such as wheels falling off in the middle of ops, or the autonomous unmanned nav system swanning off with all the squad's food and ammo into the ulu in the middle of the night.

All quiet-like.

IMHO, best way around that is get a mule driver - ie some bloke upon whose testicles lie the weight of responsibility for proper first/last works and actually driving the damn thing. Bugger GPS electrikery and all that gubbins. Just follow behind the main body.

 

[Awol]

They canned my offering without so much as a thank you.

 

[A signaller]

They canned my offering without so much as a thank you.

View attachment 427245

motorised might work!