The focal point of the demonstration was the utilization of three Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), each equipped with payloads contributed by consortium members and collaborative partners. The showcased autonomous missions aimed to illustrate the comprehensive capabilities of the iMUGS system. Notable tasks included autonomous mission planning, enabling operators to strategize from their perspective, Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) activities incorporating object detection and recognition, as well as autonomous re-supply, casualty evacuation, and cyber threat response.
Executed by the French armed forces, these missions exemplified how manned units could leverage unmanned systems to execute tasks with enhanced safety and efficiency. The demonstration underscored the collaborative efforts of the consortium in advancing the development and application of autonomous unmanned ground systems for defense purposes.
The autonomous features of the Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), encompassing follow-me, waypoint navigation, and obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities, were developed collaboratively by consortium members including Diehl Defence, Milrem Robotics, Nexter, and Safran. Intelligence, Surveillance & 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 were responsible for radio communication.
The command and control (C2) and tactical C2ISR were established within the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s Boxer Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), featuring a C2 mission module and a static command center, and were facilitated by GMV and sol.one. Cyber threat response capabilities were provided by Talgen. Additionally, dotOcean and Insta showcased global and local swarming capabilities, respectively, through video presentations using their in-house simulator.
This demonstration in France marked the fifth in a series of six demonstrations conducted throughout the iMUGS project. Previous demonstrations were hosted in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, and Belgium, with the final demonstration scheduled for December in Germany.
The Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) stands as a project under the European Union’s Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), with the overarching goal of establishing a European standard for unmanned ground systems. The project seeks to cultivate a scalable modular architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems, promoting increased interoperability, enhanced situational awareness, and expediting decision-making processes. Coordinated by Estonia, the project involves active participation from 10 other European countries.
Utilizing Milrem’s existing THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle for diverse payloads, the iMUGS project represents a collaborative effort with a total budget of 32.6 million euros. This initiative involves 13 key partners focused on the development of a modular and scalable architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems. The participating entities include Milrem Robotics (as the project coordinator), 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.
The overarching goal of the project is to establish a standardized European-wide ecosystem encompassing aerial and ground platforms, command, control, and communication equipment, as well as sensors, payloads, and algorithms. By tackling challenges such as enhanced interoperability, increased situational awareness, and accelerated decision-making, iMUGS aims to contribute to the evolution of a cohesive and efficient European defense technology framework.