Vendor to Compete for New Robotic Mule Contract
HDT picture
AUSTIN, Texas — The Military is making ready to launch a contest for the second increment of the Small Multipurpose Gear Transport, or SMET, higher generally known as its “robotic mule.”
The service has pursued a platform that may take the burden off foot troopers and carry backpacks, provides or wounded troops for the reason that starting of the defunct Future Fight Techniques program. FCS was canceled in 2009, however the Military continued to pursue the idea, particularly as infantry fought within the rugged Afghanistan mountains.
Normal Dynamics was awarded an increment 1 contract for $249 million in 2020 for its Multi-Utility Tactical Transport.
The increment 2 necessities doc remains to be in growth and anticipated to be authorized in early 2023 with a request for proposals later within the yr, in accordance with the Program Govt Workplace Fight Help and Fight Service Help.
HDT International, which misplaced to Normal Dynamics in increment 1, introduced lately that it’ll enter the competitors with its Hunter WOLF 6×6 robotic automobile, a revised model of what it supplied for increment 1.
Polaris Authorities & Protection and Textron’s Howe and Howe additionally competed for the primary SMET increment.
“It’s got an prolonged silent run capability and so we’ve acquired a a lot bigger battery pack in it … and we’ve been centered on making certain that the automobile is rugged, strong and dependable,” Tom Van Doren, HDT’s chief expertise officer, mentioned on the Nationwide Protection Industrial Affiliation’s Future Drive Capabilities Convention in Austin, Texas.
Regardless of dropping the increment 1 contract, HDT is fielding the Hunter WOLF to different clients within the Military, Marine Corps and Australian Defence Drive, Van Doren mentioned.
The WOLF on show on the convention was kitted out with a 30mm cannon and a set of robotic arms. Different elective payloads embody intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, door breacher, path clearance and water purification.
It additionally has a 16-kilowatt generator and might offload as much as 15 kilowatts of energy, which makes it a “self-propelled generator,” he added.
The diesel-electric hybrid has a 200-mile vary, can journey 7.5 miles in silent mode, can haul 2,200 kilos and matches in a V-22 Osprey, he mentioned. HDT has additionally developed a primary autonomy equipment that may observe waypoints and keep away from obstacles.
“The important thing factor that we are going to be exhibiting to the acquisitions of us is we’ve acquired much more than we confirmed them final time,” he mentioned.
Matters: Robotics, Unmanned Floor Autos, Military Information