Rheinmetall Mission Master convinces with sharp shooting

Delegations from 53 countries gathered a few weeks ago for the Ammunition Capability Demonstration 2019 (ACD2019) at the Overberg Test Range near Arniston in South Africa. As part of the world's largest live-fire demonstrations, a wide range of weapons and ammunition were showcased. One participant caught the attention of the audience: the new Rheinmetall Mission Master-Protection armed unmanned ground vehicle (UGV).

Armed with the Rheinmetall Fieldranger Multi Weapon Station with 70mm rockets from Thales, the newly developed Rheinmetall Mission Master - Protection fired a salvo of 14 rockets. It delivered 60 kg of explosives towards the target in 1.6 seconds, a performance that is particularly remarkable in the land forces sector. "We are probably the first to deploy an air-to-ground system in a ground-to-ground role. Definitely, we are the first to do it from a UGV," said Alain Tremblay, Vice President Business Development at Rheinmetall Canada.

After a month of testing and firing trials in South Africa with the new Mission Master-Protection payload, Rheinmetall was able to deploy a perfectly configured and stabilized weapon system at the demo. This achievement was made possible by the involvement of an important partner. "Thales demonstrated a very high level of professionalism. Our technical cooperation has helped us take a big step forward," said Tremblay. After completing the qualification process, the combination of Fieldranger Multi and 70mm rocket launcher meets military standards and is now ready for integration into other platforms and armored vehicles. The Mission Master-Protection can also be equipped with 50mm weapon systems, 12.7mm machine guns, and 40mm grenade launchers.

The uniqueness of the Mission Master-Protection demonstration at the Overberg Test Range was that a remote-controlled weapon carrier operated in a fully digitized scenario – possibly a world premiere. Fire control was conducted through the Rheinmetall Argus soldier system. Both Rheinmetall and Thales emphasized the need for a Man-in-the-Loop configuration, meaning the operator has full control over the weapon system – from target acquisition to final fire authorization.

A growing trend towards armed UGVs

Just as armed unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have had revolutionary effects on aerial warfare, all indications suggest that the number of armed UGVs in the land forces sector will continue to grow rapidly. Field trials are taking place worldwide, including the use of the Russian combat UGV URAN-9 in Syria in May 2018. Numerous nations have recognized the potential of armed UGVs.

As demonstrated at ACD2019 with the Mission Master-Protection, an armed UGV opens up a variety of new possibilities. While minimizing the risk for friendly forces, it significantly enhances the combat power of dismounted troops by providing fire support. It can also autonomously perform high-risk military tasks on today's complex battlefields.

A versatile and agile platform for multi-mission profiles.

Built on a robust base platform, the Mission Master supports troops in dangerous missions, even in difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. With a variety of modular, easy-to-install mission equipment, the Mission Master not only provides protection on the battlefield but can also undertake a variety of other tasks, including logistical transport, surveillance, rescue, firefighting, CBRN detection, and functioning as a radio relay station.

One of these new mission equipment components was also showcased at ACD2019 and garnered high interest from the approximately 800 attendees. Rheinmetall introduced the Mission Master-Rescue, a new variant that allows for the autonomous evacuation of casualties over long distances. Equipped with two stretcher carriers with rail systems, the Rescue UGV also features head and foot fixations, ventilators, a defibrillator, and a thermal container – equipment that would be impossible for a foot soldier to carry.

The Rheinmetall team will continue to develop the Mission Master in 2019. Field trials with the new system will take place throughout the year in Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Video of the demonstration on YouTube: www.youtube.com

RHEINMETALL DEFENCE online: www.rheinmetall-defence.com