The Defence Secretary has committed £66m of defence’s new
multi-million-pound Transformation Fund to fast-track
military robotic projects onto the battlefield this year.
It was announced today at the Autonomous Warrior
Exploitation Conference at the Science Museum, Kensington
that the British Army will benefit from:
- New mini-drones, providing troops with an
eye-in-the-sky to give them greater awareness to
outmanoeuvre enemies on the battlefield.
- Systems to fit Army fighting vehicles with
remote-control capability, so they can be pushed ahead of
manned vehicles and used to test the strength of enemy
defences.
- New autonomous logistics vehicles which will deliver
vital supplies to troops in warzones, helping remove
soldiers from dangerous resupply tasks so they can focus on
combat roles.
Defence Secretary said:
This announcement is a clear demonstration of how our
Armed Forces are reaping the benefits from our new
multi-million Transformation Fund. Each of these new
technologies will enhance our Army’s capabilities whilst
reducing the risk to our personnel and I’m delighted we
will be revolutionising frontline technology by the end
of the year.
The MOD has always embraced pioneering technology and
this fund will ensure the UK stays at the forefront of
global military capabilities and ahead of our
adversaries.
The injection of funding from the new £160m Transformation
Fund will see some of this equipment set to deploy to the
likes of Estonia, Afghanistan and Iraq before the end of
the year. The Defence Secretary will also look to make a
further £340m available as part of the Spending Review.
The investment comes after the Army tested a range of
projects as part of the biggest military robot exercise in
British history at the end of last year, Exercise
Autonomous Warrior.
Yesterday, the Defence Secretary visited 16 Air Assault
Brigade in Colchester which will be among the recipients of
the new battlefield technologies. He discussed how the new
equipment will benefit troops on the ground to help
increase their safety and combat effectiveness.
The Brigade is specially trained and equipped to deploy by
parachute, helicopter and air-landing. Its core role is to
maintain the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at
high readiness to deploy worldwide for a full spectrum of
missions.
Chief of the General Staff Sir Mark Carleton-Smith said:
Rapid adaptation is an essential ingredient for success
on the battlefield. The fielding of the next generation
of armoured fighting vehicles and ground-breaking robotic
and autonomous systems will keep the British Army at the
cutting edge of battlefield technology, improving our
lethality, survivability and competitive advantage.
Assistant Head of Capability Strategy and Force Development,
Colonel Peter Rowell said:
Robotic and autonomous systems make our troops more
effective; seeing more, understanding more, covering a
greater area and being more lethal. They unshackle them
from the resupply loop. These are game-changing
capabilities; and not just for combat operations. They
are equally useful in humanitarian and disaster relief
operations.
After securing an extra £1.8bn for defence and overseeing
the Modernising Defence Programme, the Defence Secretary
has dedicated millions of pounds to transforming defence,
arming the British military with innovative technology
through fast-tracking new projects.
The MOD is embracing transformation at an ever-faster rate
and the Transformation Fund is focused on investments in
truly high-tech innovation that will create the armed
forces of the future.
