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.
Knight’s Armament Company’s (KAC) new 5.56x45mm NATO Light Assault Machine Gun (LAMG) has now entered low-rate production, with larger calibre variants expected soon.
Sources at KAC told Shephard earlier this year that the company was in the process of taking orders for the LAMG and recently confirmed that LRIP had begun.
The 3.9kg LAMG is a belt-fed, gas operated, automatic, light machine gun with a quick detach free floating barrel.
Design emphasis has been placed on an ‘Assault Light Machine Gun’, specifically to be carried by small teams of troops in the assault phase of an attack. With this in
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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.