Future and Present Meet in Unmanned Ground Vehicles
(Source: US Marine Corps; issued Dec. 3, 2003)
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. --- Science fiction movies have
long used robots as a staple of their regular cast, but even now
the Marine Corps is working on a machine that will operate forward
of the front lines and provide scouting, flank security, direct
attack and other tasks that will decrease risks for combat
Marines.
The Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle, or Gladiator, is designed to
support dismounted infantry and combat engineers during the
performance of their mission, across the spectrum of conflict and
range of military operations. The Gladiator will provide the Marine
Corps Ground Combat Element with an unmanned
tele-operated/semi-autonomous ground vehicle for remoting combat
tasks in order to reduce risk to the warfighter and neutralize
threats to the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
This system is not intended to replace Marines, said Larry
Hennebeck, the Project Officer, who works at Robotic Systems Joint
Project Office in Redstone Arsenal, AL. The Gladiator will give
commanders another alternative to sending out Marines on missions
that are very dangerous.
The Gladiator will be capable of performing scouting, surveillance,
& target acquisition; direct fire; bunker/light-armor
destruction; obstacle breaching; nuclear, biological & chemical
(NBC) reconnaissance; employment of non-lethal weapons; obscurant
delivery; engineer reconnaissance; and transporting ammunition or
equipment.
The Gladiator will possess day & night video cameras capable of
performing as well as an individual Marine with currently fielded
binoculars and thermal imaging equipment; an integrated position
locating system and laser rangefinder capable of accurately
determining the location of targets; acoustic detection system; and
anti-tampering/handling devices.
The operator will direct the Gladiator TUGV from a hand-held unit
that controls the various platform/payloads and data reception from
the sensors. This will provide the Gladiator with tele-operational
capability for remote command and control of the vehicle as well as
data display, storage and dissemination.
The Gladiator system will use a modular, plug-and-fight
configuration and will be capable of remotely employing a variety
of equipment already fielded to infantry and combat engineer units.
This equipment includes the Anti-Personnel/Obstacle Breaching
System, M240G Medium Machine Gun, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon,
Shoulder- Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon, Light Vehicle
Obscuration Smoke System, Automatic Chemical Agent Detection Alarm,
AN/VDR-2 Nuclear Detection System, Multipurpose Cart, etc.
The Gladiator will significantly enhance the ability of Marines to
accomplish assigned mission tasks, said Capt. Robert Parks, the
Requirement Officer for the system.
During recent Field User Evaluations by 1st Battalion, 2D Marines
held at Camp Lejeune, N.C., the Gladiator had a chance to prove its
worth. The Marines were surprised at the numerous ways the system
could be used to enhance tactical level operations, said
Hennebeck. The Marines of 1/2 will be employing the systems during
CAX 3-?04 in January.
This system will increase MAGTF capabilities by:
--Reducing Marine casualties by remoting combat tasks and
minimizing risks to individual Marines by eliminating or reducing
their exposure to enemy fires, booby traps, or NBC agents.
--Significantly enhancing the ability of tactical commanders to
detect, identify, locate, and neutralize a variety of threats to
include enemy force activity, chemical and biological agents, and
impassible terrain or unusable routes.
--Providing tactical commanders with real-time combat information,
enabling real-time maneuver decision-making at the platoon/company
level.
--Increasing our ability to operate at a higher tempo due to the
increased speed at which we can conduct operations such as obstacle
breaching, patrolling, reconnaissance by force, NBC & Engineer
reconnaissance, etc.
--Increasing force lethality by being able to acquire and engage
the enemy at extended ranges.
--Maximizing Economy of Force efforts by requiring fewer personnel
to conduct combat tasks, conserving Marines strength, and reducing
risks in secondary areas/efforts. In this capacity the system will
serve as a force multiplier.
As I predicted months ago, our own Spartans will be developed
just like the US's Gladiator, that is the future of modern
weaponry!
CHARGE!!!
