Mission Master with Guardian 2.0 remote weapon station. (Photo: Rheinmetall)
Rheinmetall Canada has demonstrated two new Rheinmetall Mission Master SP modules carrying sensors and weapons systems from Escribano Mechanical & Engineering (EM&E).
For Rheinmetall Canada, the demonstrations to the Spanish Army marked the first integration of an EM&E payload on Mission Master SP and its first collaboration with a Spanish company.
Demonstrations involved two Mission Master SP autonomous UGVs. A Mission Master SP – Fire Support was equipped with the Escribano Guardian 2.0 remote weapon station (RWS), and a Mission Master SP – Surveillance carried the mast-mounted Escribano OTEOS sensor package.
OTEOS enabled Mission Master SP – Surveillance to detect threat and automatically share its location with the Mission Master SP – Fire support, triggering a slew-to-cue.
‘Various Mission Master control modes were showcased, including follow-me, autonomous navigation, and convoy modes,’ Rheinmetall noted in a 10 August statement. Live firing with the Mission Master SP – Fire Support equipped with the Escribano Guardian 2.0 RWS in the Dillon Aero M134D configuration was conducted using UGV/RWS portable controllers integrated with a safety board architecture, allowing safe wireless firing.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that Mission Masters in various configurations can operate together as part of a so-called ‘Wolf Pack’. This envisages a single operator directing a group of Mission Masters to perform a wide range of missions, such as patrolling a zone, reconnaissance and engaging targets.
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