The potential future of the British Army’s logistic capabilities
has been showcased by the Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl) at the
Combat Service Support Training and Development Unit
(CSS
TDU) in Aldershot.
Dstl has
been scientifically assessing the potential use of autonomous
systems for resupply operations to provide greater capability and
utility for the Army under the Joint Tactical Autonomous Resupply
and Replenishment (JTARR)
project.
This work will inform the wider Project Theseus, which aims to
‘define and deliver an end-to-end, highly automated ground and
air resupply network, enabled by a logistic information system;
24/7 and in all conditions.’
Two uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) systems from HORIBA MIRA
and QinetiQ were purchased by Dstl in
March 2020 under contracts collectively valued at £5 million.
HORIBA MIRA’s Viking is a 6-wheeled tracked vehicle capable of
operating at 50 kilometres per hour (kph) even in electric mode. The
vehicle uses advanced AI-based autonomy, based on
visual terrain recognition, to enable GPS-denied navigation, terrain
perception and object recognition. It can carry up to 600kg of
supplies.
QinetiQ’s Titan UGV comprises a tracked
system based around a modular mission system software
architecture, employing LIDAR (a remote sensing
technology using lasers) and stereo vision as the primary means
to detect its environment. The vehicle is powered by a hybrid
electric engine with a lead acid battery and has a top speed of
20kph with a load capacity of up to 750kg.
The Dstl trials
will fully test the machines’ capabilities to increase the
understanding of the potential of UGV systems and understand
how they will integrate with the wider defence logistics
capability.
Dstl Principal
Technical Authority, Guy Powell, said:
During the trials we are conducting we are assessing mobility, to
understand if they can get to the dismounted soldiers; autonomy –
how well they navigate; and to understand the limitations of the
technology.
Equipment support Sergeant Major Dan Brown added:
If there is a machine that can do what a human can but take
personnel from harm’s way, that’s a fantastic thing. If robots
can take over certain tasks, soldiers can do other, more vital
ones.
The concept of resupply is critical. Troops can’t fight without
water, food or ammunition. And these platforms are very good. It
is absolutely realistic to deploy them in the near future.
The JTARR project
is a scientific assessment of the robotics and autonomous systems
(RAS)
technologies, capabilities and limitations through the purchase
and trials of selected systems developed during the Autonomous
Last Mile Resupply (ALMRS) project initiated
in 2019.
The Future Capabilities Group (FCG) Theseus competition, led by
the Expeditionary Robotics Centre of Expertise (ERCOE), aims
to more broadly assess the current marketplace, completing
experimentation activity with Army personnel. This
experimentation will develop the user requirements and tactical
viability of use of a RAS system of
systems for logistical resupply activity through user
interaction, which will build upon, and be informed by, the
outputs of this prior activity from the Dstl JTARR project.
Both projects are funded from the Theseus transformation fund,
but the Dstl project
is referred to as JTARR to
differentiate it from the FCG Theseus competition.
