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.
Czech Republic orders Mithras rockets
Rheinmetall has been awarded an order from the Czech military for the Mithras handheld illumination rocket, it announced on 6 October.
Under the order, which is worth around $807,566, the Czech armed forces will receive an initial shipment of Mithras rockets through to November 2015. The Czech Republic is the latest among several NATO nations to select the Mithras rocket.
Mithras is used for battlefield illumination and signalling purposes, with a range of 300m, 600m and 1,000m. It can carry various payloads such as coloured smoke, starburst flares, instant obscurants or smoke and parachute cartridges for infrared/visible illumination.
The rocket is self-contained and fired without a pistol or launch device. It has a triple-secured rotatable arming mechanism for handling, spin and surface stabilisation, low recoil and a negligible smoke signature. All Mithras variants feature the same fuse system.
Mithras meets the qualifications of British, German and French procurement authorities, and is currently being used in Britain, France and Scandinavia.
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