South korean firm Hanwha Aerospace introduced that it has efficiently demonstrated the capabilities of its multi-purpose unmanned floor automobile (UGV), referred to as Arion-SMET (Autonomous and Robotic techniques for Intelligence Off-road Navigation – Small Multi-purpose Gear Transport), at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 65 kilometers south of Seoul ? the primary such demonstration by a neighborhood agency at a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) base. In the course of the know-how showcase, the Arion-SMET proved quite a lot of unmanned applied sciences supporting infantry troops within the battlefield, comparable to remote-controlled and autonomous driving each on paved and unpaved roads; impediment avoidance; autonomous homing for communications failures; gun-shot supply localization; and automobile/soldier following.
Brig. Gen. Mark A. Holler, the deputy commanding normal of the Eighth U.S. Military accountable for operations, and USFK officers attended the occasion. Hanwha Aerospace and the U.S. Military Fight Capabilities Improvement Command (DEVCOM) Floor Automobile Programs Heart (GVSC) have been in dialog for potential collaboration on next-generation UGV applied sciences for a while. The demonstration got here as the corporate is in search of to create a foothold within the U.S. market. In October, the Arion-SMET was chosen one of many floor gear to be examined by the U.S. navy beneath the FCT program geared toward assessing matured overseas applied sciences that may fill U.S. forces’ current functionality gaps. It’s the first time a Korean-built unmanned floor system is taking part in such a subject check program.
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“The Arion-SMET has already proved its excellent mission capabilities throughout a ROK Military trial earlier this 12 months beneath a program to check the efficiency of weapons techniques for abroad exports,” stated Govt Vice President Youngwoo Search engine optimisation at Land Programs Enterprise Group of Hanwha Aerospace. “We’ll do our greatest to efficiently full the upcoming FCT, hoping to affix U.S. DoD’s fast-track acquisition course of sooner or later.”
Arion-SMET is an upgraded model of an infantry fight help automobile that Hanwha Aerospace developed in 2019 beneath a military-civilian cooperation challenge. The 6×6 electric-powered automobile was constructed to help infantry operations, comparable to ammunition transport, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and hearth help. The automobile can drive as much as 100km when absolutely charged and has a most payload capability of 550kg, considerably enhancing its fight help and maneuvering capabilities. It’s also geared up with a complicated remote-controlled weapons station that may detect/ observe enemy troopers, localize the supply of gunfire and hearth again within the course of the gunfire coming from. With these revolutionary functionalities, the Arion-SMET is optimized for supporting manned and unmanned teaming (MUM-T) operations for infantry troops.
