Clearer military requirements could unlock UGV market growth
Western armies continue to test uncrewed ground vehicles, but wider procurement will depend on turning ambitions for autonomy into defined operational roles and funded requirements.
Danish soldiers in a live-fire exercise at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. (Photo: US Army/ Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger)
The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) has issued two contracts for small calibre ammunition via the official EU tenders portal.
DALO on 22 June posted deals for Metallwerk Elisenhütte and Nammo Raufoss, worth DKK6.24 million ($1 million) and DKK14.2 million respectively, to fill an important gap for Danish Defence.
‘DALO is left without a contract regarding procurement of small calibre ammunition as DALO’s supplier has unjustifiably terminated the existing frame[work] agreement,’ it stated.
The logistics organisation did not name the incumbent provider.
‘It is DALO’s assessment that due to extreme urgency, brought about by events unforeseeable by DALO and due to long lead times, DALO has to procure the most necessary ammunition immediately, to ensure security of supply, while a new tender, as a replacement for the now terminated agreement, is being prepared and completed.’
Western armies continue to test uncrewed ground vehicles, but wider procurement will depend on turning ambitions for autonomy into defined operational roles and funded requirements.
Framework contracts and leasing options aim to shorten acquisition timelines, while manufacturing partnerships could help suppliers scale production to meet allied demand.
The US is pursuing multiple UGV programmes, from commercial robotic platforms to new autonomy technologies. The combination of these efforts could prove key to turning ambition into operational capability.
NATO is looking to artificial intelligence to provide integration between different C2 systems to create a common operational picture, potentially offering a faster route to interoperability than the slow-moving processes of NATO standards committees.
The large-scale exercise in Latvia was the culmination of three experimentation initiatives to see how platforms, weapons and systems could fit into the alliance’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative. As well as forces, it brought together companies and equipment.
Canada plans to acquire at least 120 uncrewed aerial systems through two competitions with combined funding ceilings of C$32 million.