Web Page sponsored by MILLBROOK
Tel: +44 (0) 1525 408408
www.millbrook.co.uk/military
————————————————————————-
10 Jan 18. Russia expects to receive BMPTs in March. Russian manufacturer Uralvagonzavod is expected to deliver at least 11 new BMPT (Terminator) fire support vehicles based on the T-90A chassis to the Russian military in 2018, the Interfax news agency has reported. The previous Terminator 2 variant used a T-72 chassis. The vehicle has yet to be named. Uralvagonzavod’s deputy head of special equipment Vyacheslav Khalitov told Interfax that contract work has begun, and that first deliveries are expected to begin this March. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
10 Jan 18. New mine-clearance vehicles for Russian SMF. The Russian Ministry of Defence has detailed new vehicle deliveries for its Strategic Missile Forces (SMF). By 2020, SMF formations will receive around 20 Listva remote mine clearing vehicles and about 50 engineering support and concealment vehicles. The Listva vehicle was developed specifically for the SMF. The vehicle is fitted with electronics that can detect mines and land mines at distances of up to 100 metres in the sector of 30 degrees. The engineering vehicles will improve the manoeuvrability and survivability of mobile-based combat missile systems. An additional 300 pieces of engineering equipment are also planned to be delivered to the SMF engineering divisions by 2020. This will include obstacle removal vehicles, heavy mechanised bridges, excavators, truck cranes and other engineering armaments. (Source: Shephard)
10 Jan 18. Milrem demos THeMIS autonomy, outlines roadmap. Estonia’s Milrem Robotics has demonstrated the autonomous operation of its THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) during a live-fire event held at the Kolgu range in December 2017. A THeMIS platform configured with FN Herstal’s deFNder remote weapon station was utilised for the live-fire portion of the event, the first time this configuration has been demonstrated in public, while the autonomous operation was conducted by another Type 3 system. Speaking to Jane’s, the company’s chief executive officer, Kuldar Väärsi, said the system undertook GPS waypoint-based navigation, which represents an early stage in a plan to extend the autonomous operating capabilities of the system. Autonomy is one of four areas that Milrem is focusing on for THeMIS, Väärsi said, along with a larger platform, several ongoing military programmes, and the development of operational doctrine for the system. Väärsi pointed to perimeter protection and patrol duties as potential applications for the waypoint navigation function, and said ultimately the company will look to introduce higher degrees of autonomy; a short-term aim is to demonstrate a “follow-me” function during the 2018 iteration of the Estonian military’s Spring Storm exercise. Sensors on board the platform to enable this capability will include a 3-D LIDAR and stereoscopic cameras. Further down the line, Väärsi said as the company develops its ‘wingman’ concept for THeMIS, aspects of artificial intelligence will be introduced to enable the system to better understand its operating environment. The development of the autonomous capabilities is being carried out in-house, Väärsi noted. Väärsi explained that the larger platform – now referred to as the Type 4 THeMIS – is 30 cm longer than the current standard, and its development was driven by the requirements of the US Army’s Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) programme and experience gained from testing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in early 2017. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
08 Jan 18. Images suggest Pakistan Army may be testing Norinco VT4 MBT. Images have emerged on Chinese social media suggesting that the Pakistan Army (PA) may be testing the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) VT4 main battle tank (MBT). Published on 6 January the photographs show PA personnel inspecting a VT