Galax Daily

гeⱱeаɩed in Versailles: iMUGS Consortium Steers the Robotic гeⱱoɩᴜtіoп, Showcasing Autonomous Missions and Paving the Way for the Future.

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by

Thuan
The penultimate demonstration of the Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) project Consortium unfolded in Versailles, France, showcasing the utilization of autonomous unmanned ground systems for diverse defense missions. Led by Safran and Nexter, with support from other consortium members, the event took place at Nexter Robotics’ premises, provided for weeks of integration and validation leading up to the demonstration.

The focal point of the demonstration featured three Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), each equipped with payloads from consortium members and collaboration partners. These UGVs seamlessly executed various autonomous missions, illustrating the comprehensive capabilities of the iMUGS system. The showcased missions included autonomous mission planning from the operator’s perspective, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) with object detection and recognition, autonomous re-supply, casualty evacuation, and cyber threat response.

Executed by the French armed forces, these missions exemplified how manned units can leverage unmanned systems to execute missions with enhanced safety and efficiency.

 

The autonomous features of the Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), encompassing capabilities such as follow-me, waypoint navigation, and obstacle detection and avoidance, were collaboratively developed by consortium members including Diehl Defence, Milrem Robotics, Nexter, and Safran. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities were contributed by OTEOS, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering’s Electro-Optic System, SAAB Grintek’s Laser Warning System (LWS), and Metravib Defence’s PEARL acoustic shot detection. Bittium’s software-defined radios facilitated radio communication, while the command and control (C2) and tactical C2ISR systems by GMV and sol.one were integrated into the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s Boxer Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), featuring a C2 mission module and a static command centre. Talgen provided cybersecurity measures for threat response. In a video presentation, dotOcean and Insta demonstrated global and local swarming capabilities, respectively, within their in-house simulator. This demonstration in France marked the fifth in a series of six organized during the iMUGS project, with previous showcases in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Belgium. The final demonstration is scheduled for December in Germany.

 

“Unmanned systems significantly extend the standoff distance from the enemy. With an array of sensors and effectors, they empower soldiers to collect a greater quantity of highly precise information about their operational area than human capabilities allow. Autonomous unmanned assets represent a paradigm shift for armed forces, enabling the reassignment of soldiers to more critical tasks,” emphasized Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics and lead of the iMUGS Consortium.

The Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) stands as a flagship project under the European Union’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO). Its overarching goal is to establish a standardized unmanned ground system for Europe, introducing a scalable and modular architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems. The primary focus extends to enhancing interoperability, elevating situational awareness, and expediting decision-making processes. Estonia takes the helm as the project coordinator, leading a consortium of 10 other European countries in this collaborative endeavor.

Milrem will leverage its existing THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle to accommodate various payloads in the ambitious iMUGS project, which amounts to 32.6 million euros. This collaborative effort involves thirteen entities, with Milrem Robotics leading the project. The consortium comprises Bittium, Diehl Defence, dotOcean, GMV Aerospace and Defence, Insta Advance, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT), NEXTER Systems, the Royal Military Academy of Belgium, Safran Electronics & Defense, Talgen Cybersecurity, and sol.one.

At its core, iMUGS focuses on developing a modular and scalable architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems. The overarching objective is to establish a standardized European-wide ecosystem encompassing aerial and ground platforms, command and control systems, communication equipment, sensors, payloads, and algorithms. By doing so, the project addresses critical challenges, including heightened interoperability, improved situational awareness, and expedited decision-making processes.