The British Army will integrate Robotics and Autonomous
Systems as well as electric vehicles on the battlefield as part of
its future vision.
Designed to equip soldiers with a fighting and competitive edge
in modern warfare, the integration of Robotics and Autonomous
Systems (RAS) will exploit ‘human-machine-teams’ through a
combination of autonomous, robotic and artificial intelligence
technologies.
Examples of how the Army may deploy RAS in the future include
using uncrewed, computer-driven vehicles to provide situational
awareness or deliver aid to remote regions. They will also be
able to rapidly deploy counter-drone capabilities to survey areas
of land and use a wide range of sensors and effectors that can
see, shift or shoot across the whole battlefield.
Chief of the General Staff, Sir Mark Carleton-Smith said:
The future British Army will draw on innovation, cutting-edge
technology and play its part in Defence’s ambition to become
more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Our Future Soldier initiative will see more versatile and
increasingly deployable land forces in the face of evolving
threats.
As part of its Future Soldier initiative, the British Army will
also shortly publish the ‘Approach to Electrification’.
Spanning the next 15 years, the strategy is focussed on an
increase in the use of batteries, sustainable energy and hybrid
electric drive technologies across the Army’s vehicle fleet.
Electrification of the battlefield will increase operational
advantage and change the way land forces operate in the future,
enabling significant advances in stealth mode capabilities with
reduced thermal and noise signature.
Outlined in the recent Defence Command Paper, innovation will be
at the forefront of a future Army. This is further supported by
the £24 billion increase in spending over four years, as
announced by the Prime Minister last November.
Assistant Head of Plans for Ground Manoeuvre Capability, Colonel
Simon Ridgway OBE said:
This approach to electrification will set out how the Army
intends to take advantage of the opportunities provided by
sustainable technology for land capabilities.
It will ensure the Army’s electrical infrastructure is ready to
meet the electrical demand required on the battlefield of the
future. Delivering effect needs the right power, in the right
place, at the right time and using hybrid vehicles will make it
easier to get the power to where it needs to be.
The Army has already invested £10 million fitting hybrid electric
drives to Man SV, Jackal and Foxhound vehicles with their
performance currently being evaluated. Trials of pre-production
models are due to take place, including assessments on how to
fully recharge electric uncrewed, autonomous systems. The hybrid
vehicles are due to be rolled out to the Field Army for use in
training and on operations.
