American Rheinmetall Vehicles of Sterling Heights, Michigan, USA and Rheinmetall Canada conducted a live-fire demonstration for the US Marine Corps (USMC) at Fort Clinton, Ohio. This live-fire demonstration showcased the capabilities of the Mission Master SP autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle in combination with the Fieldranger remotely operated weapon station.
This armed variant of the Rheinmetall Mission Master SP offers the Marines a wide range of deployment options. These include: armed reconnaissance, security, fire support, flank security, screening and other capabilities. After completing numerous tests and evaluations with the Mission Master SP, American Rheinmetall Vehicles is delivering further developments in the field of autonomous unmanned ground vehicles (A-UGV) to the USMC. The first deliveries to the USMC took place at the beginning of 2023, several A-UGV systems from follow-up orders will be delivered in 2024. The platforms can “significantly expand” the tactical capabilities of the Marines, according to a recent Rheinmetall press release. A Mission Master SP supplied by American Rheinmetall Vehicles had already been extensively tested by the USMC in summer 2023 during the Talisman Sabre (TS23) exercise in Queensland, Australia. Another system was used in the fall of 2023 during the “Apollo Shield” maneuver at the Marine Corps Base in Twentynine Palms, California. https://militaeraktuell.at/achleitner-geschaeftsfuehrer-alexander-achleitner/ Both exercises served to support the testing of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab (MCWL). Mission Master SP’s participation was part of the MCWL’s year-long project to test equipment and evaluate tactics, techniques and procedures of infantry squads equipped with A-UGVs. The tasks of the Mission Master SP during the exercises included casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), supply transport, fully autonomous road marches of up to 50 kilometers and deployment as part of military operations in built-up areas (MOUT). Feedback from the Marines and their commanders has led to adjustments to the design of the A-UGVs. In December 2023, American Rheinmetall Vehicles was awarded a contract to manufacture six Mission Master SPs to be delivered to the III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) to support further training and evaluation. Four of the Mission Master SPs will be deployed with the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Marine Regiment, which will be the first unit to conduct pre-deployment exercises and deploy with the A-UGVs.
“It gives me great pride to bring the capabilities of the Mission Master SP A-UGV to today’s Marines, knowing that it will save lives and better prepare Marines for combat,” said Mike Brooks, Gunner (CW05) USMC Ret. and Director of Business Development for American Rheinmetall Vehicles. “The MCWL’s trials of state-of-the-art autonomous systems are an example of our efforts to utilize innovative technologies that enhance our tactical capabilities and ensure our Marines are better equipped, more agile and always one step ahead on the battlefield,” said Major Steven Atkinson, Chief of Robotics, Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence for the MCWL’s Science and Technology Division. https://militaeraktuell.at/soldaten-des-jaegerbataillons-25-schiessen-scharf/ Rheinmetall PATH Autonomy-Kit: A next-generation, platform-independent system that brings autonomous mobility to any vehicle
Each Mission Master SP A-UGV utilizes the Rheinmetall PATH Autonomy-Kit (A-Kit), a navigation system developed by Rheinmetall Canada that enables fully autonomous movement and mission planning for vehicles. The system can be quickly scaffolded onto existing vehicles or integrated into the latest next-generation platforms. The PATH A-Kit combines advanced sensors, algorithms and real-time data analytics to enable vehicle platforms to maneuver autonomously in a wide range of operational environments. It is a mature, proven technology that sets itself apart from the competition with a high degree of autonomous mobility and has been tested in this vehicle family as well as in a variety of other platforms. American Rheinmetall Vehicles uses PATH A-Kit technology to develop program-specific vehicle solutions for the Common Tactical Truck program and the XM30 program of the US Army program.
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