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BAE Systems Australia has unveiled a new uncrewed ground vehicle that gives military commanders an added tactical option while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way.
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The Autonomous Tactical Light Armour System (ATLAS) Collaborative Combat Variant (CCV), a new cost effective, modular, 8x8 UGV, has been designed and built leveraging BAE Systems’ world-leading expertise in autonomous technology, armoured vehicles and in collaboration with industry partners.
The future battlefield will involve a mix of autonomous, semi-autonomous and human machine teams, generating combat mass and removing soldiers from many of the most dangerous tasks. A BAE Systems Australia official said the company is exploring additional modular variants of the ATLAS CCV, including a littoral option, a 30-millimetre armed variant and those equipped with rockets.
ATLAS CCV will operate using high levels of autonomy both on and off-road, complementing crewed counterparts such as infantry fighting vehicles and main battle tanks, at a lower cost. The vehicle incorporates existing, proven technologies to provide a cost-effective capability that is mission configurable and upgradable so that it continues to evolve to counter new and emerging technologies and threats.
BAE Systems is continuously exploring innovative technology that provides armed forces with a tactical advantage in an ever-changing battlespace. The autonomy system at the core of the ATLAS CCV will “drive” the vehicle, avoid obstacles, route plan, and make tactical decisions.
“We’ve developed the ATLAS vehicle to give soldiers the advantage on the modern battlefield. This has resulted in an autonomous platform that will deliver the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks expected in a combat environment,” said Andrew Gresham, managing director, defence delivery at BAE Systems Australia.
“ATLAS will enable the Australian Army to be fit to fight in the littoral environment. It will help the soldier outpace, out-manoeuvre and out-think conventional and unconventional threats.
“We have proven expertise in autonomous technologies, built on more than 30 years of complex autonomous projects. We’re excited that this is the first UGV of its kind to be developed in Australia and look forward to working with our industry partners to deliver this capability for our customers.”
ATLAS CCV is armed with a new, lightweight, affordable, highly automated medium calibre turret system called “VANTAGE ATS”, designed for use on uncrewed platforms. Importantly, the turret is designed with a “human in-the-loop” targeting system.
ATLAS CCV is easily transportable, designed to fit into a standard 20-foot ISO container or 20-foot ISO flat rack. It will also deliver a logistics multiplier effect for companion crewed platforms, effectively extending the combat endurance of vehicles currently in service.
BAE Systems has worked with partners including Supacat in the UK/Australia, Valhalla Turrets in Slovenia, and Victorian manufacturer Marand to deliver ATLAS CCV.
