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21 Sep 17. New autonomous unmanned track loader. Horiba Mira has has developed an autonomous unmanned compact track loader designed to conduct engineering tasks that are considered too dangerous for an operator. The vehicle consists of the JCB 205T Track Loader integrated with Horiba Mira’s third-generation Modular Autonomous Control System (MACE) via a roof-mounted modular rack. The autonomous unmanned loader has a number of operating modes including manual, remote control, teleoperation and fully autonomous operation. Manual operation enables a driver to drive and operate the vehicle when tasks are considered safe. Remote control or teleoperation enables a driver to operate the loader via a communication link from a safe location. All of the controls for driving and operating the machine and tools are replicated at a base station. Fully autonomous operation allows the driver to set a task such as moving material. The vehicle will complete the task without any further intervention from the operator. The autonomous loader can perform and complete different engineering tasks, including providing unmanned support to combat engineering and manoeuvre as well as infrastructure builds. (Source: Shephard)
21 Sep 17. General Dynamics conducts final trials on Ares protected mobility vehicle. General Dynamics is conducting its final testing stages on the new Ares protected mobility vehicle, ahead of the system’s delivery to the British Army.
The Ares, which forms a part of the £4.5bn worth Ajax family of armoured vehicles, will undergo Government Acceptance Training (GAT) procedures.
The GAT process for the Ares platforms is now being conducted by the army at the company’s factory in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
UK Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin said: “I am delighted to see the Ares in action. This vehicle, and the others in the Ajax family, will give the British Army a multi-role, mounted fighting power and reconnaissance capability fit for the future.
“We continue to invest in the best equipment for our armed forces, and I’m delighted to support such strong investment in Wales.”
Expected to become operational in 2020, the six Ajax variants, including Athena, Ajax, Ares, Apollo, Atlas and Argus, will provide a full suite of medium armoured vehicles and capabilities. The vehicles will operate in combined-arms and multinational situations across a wide-range of combat environments. In addition, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK (GDLS) has started manned live firing trials for Ajax. The manned live firing phase of the Ajax programme will involve trials of the CT40 cannon, chain gun and smoke grenade launchers. GDLS–UK has also conducted altitude-climatic, air deployability, littoral fording and driver training trials for the Ajax. (Source: army-technology.com)
21 Sep 17. Russian plans to upgrade T-80 and T-90 jeopardise Armata programme. The Russian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) 7 September announcement that it was revising plans to permanently remove 10,000 armoured vehicles from its inventory and upgrade T-80 and T-90 series main battle tanks (MBTs) could jeopardise the future of the Armata programme. The announcement together with the reduction in potential orders for the T-14 MBT and the continued decline in Russian defence spending have led some sources to claim that the Armata programme has been cancelled.
Under previous plans, 10,000 reserve vehicles, made available after downsizing the Russian armed forces, were to be melted down by 2020. The revised plan stated that only 4,000 vehicles would be broken down, with the remaining 6,000 kept as a strategic reserve. Russia also plans to upgrade the T-80 to the T-80BVM standard and the T-90 to the T-90M standard as part of a USD417 million contract signed earlier this year. The T-80BVM includes