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.
If it seemed odd to some observers for Israel Aerospace Industries, with its long aviation heritage, to acquire the manufacturing operations for three all-terrain 4x4 vehicles, there does seem to be some method to it.
Officials from the land systems division of IAI subsidiary Elta told Shephard there is a potential market worth hundreds of millions of dollars for sensor-equipped ZD, Zibar and Zmag vehicles, both from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the export market.
Elta also foresees adding levels of autonomous operation to these vehicles. It will manufacture hundreds of them per year at a plant in southern Israel that
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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.