American Rheinmetall is developing hybrid-powered autonomous ground vehicles intended to transport supplies between logistics points and forward troop positions for the U.S. Army. The uncrewed vehicles are designed to support company-sized units by carrying equipment and other supplies with limited human intervention. The Army is evaluating the technology as part of efforts to reduce the number of soldiers exposed during logistics operations in contested environments.
The vehicles will use a dual-use hybrid chassis supplied by commercial electric vehicle manufacturer Harbinger. The platform is designed to support different military configurations and equipment requirements. Forterra will provide the vehicles’ autonomous driving system, including capabilities intended to support distributed operations and navigation in environments where communications or other infrastructure may be limited.
Primordial Labs will supply Anura, a human-machine interface that allows soldiers to control robotic systems using natural-language voice commands. The system is intended to reduce the number of operators required to manage multiple vehicles and allow personnel to issue commands without using handheld controls. The program will also examine autonomous load handling, hybrid power integration and methods for simplifying vehicle operation and training. Development and testing will take place at facilities and test ranges in the United States.
American Rheinmetall is leading the 18-month project under a U.S. Army contract executed through the National Advanced Mobility Consortium. The agreement includes the possibility of additional orders as the Army develops its autonomous logistics fleet.
