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.
The US Marine Corps will soon begin receiving deliveries of its new AN/PAS-28 Medium Range Thermal Biocular.
‘The only two military departments that have a thermal bino requirement are [United States Special Operations Command] and the Marine Corps,’ explained Allen Horman, who works with Advanced Sighting System Products at ELCAN. ‘In the case of the Marine Corps, we received an IDIQ [indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract] for 10,000 units.’
In late January 2009, Raytheon Network Centric Systems (NCS) announced that ELCAN Optical Technologies (a Raytheon Company) had received a $180 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for the procurement, delivery, maintenance,
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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.