An integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) consortium led by European developer Milrem Robotics, showcased crewed units working alongside uncrewed systems.
In the demonstration, tactical 4G / 5G communications networks and uncrewed ground systems (UGS) fitted with a specific list of payloads were used.
The UGSs were equipped with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and signal intelligence (SIGINT) payloads, acoustic sensors, and various other technologies.
The demonstration took place in September in Latvia and was led by consortium member ‘LMT’. The event was supported by project coordinator Milrem Robotics.
The € 32.6m iMUGS project is aimed at developing the European standard UGS.
Milrem Robotics CEO Kuldar Väärsi said: “The displayed scenarios showed that unmanned systems, enhanced with innovative communication systems and various defense technology, can be used for collecting and sharing tactical information, improve situational awareness, reduce troops physical load, and increase force protection. ”
Latvian National Armed Forces used two Milrem’s THeMIS UGVs in two scenarios to demonstrate the advantages of combining crewed and uncrewed systems.
During the demonstration, one THeMIS UGV was equipped with an ISR payload, SIGINT, a Rapid Obscuring System (ROSY) Smoke Grenade Launcher, Bittium’s Vehicular Software Defined Radios (Tough SDR Vehicular), and deFNder light remote weapon stations (RWS).
Meanwhile, the second THeMIS was fitted with an improvised explosive device (IED) jammer and Tough SDR Vehicular.
Milrem stated that the units and UGVs in the demonstration used Bittium’s tactical communication network TAC WIN integrated with LMT’s commercial 4G and a tactical 5G-SA bubble.
Furthermore, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s (KMW) Dingo infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) was used as the command center from where UGVs were operated in LOS and BLOS mode.
LMT vice-president and management board member Ingmars Pukis said: “For the first time ever, in a special network, a tactical network was connected to a standalone 5G network.
“This allowed communication between units and robots, as well as collecting information from sensors and placing this information into LMT’s Battle Management System‘ Viedsargs ’”.
In September this year, Milrem Robotics announced that they would be supporting the upgrade of the Estonian Defense Forces’ CV90 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
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