A-UGVs give Marines an advantage on the battlefield: Weapon of the week

Mar 20

Ryan Robertson Anchor/Reporter

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor/Reporter), Brett Baker (Senior Producer), Brian Spencer (Video Editor), Dakota Piteo (Senior Motion Designer)

Controlling a battle-ready vehicle on a screen is no longer just for video games. American Rheinmetall Vehicles created the Mission Master SP, an autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle (A-UGV).

These A-UGVs are built to be used for a wide range of situations. The Mission Master SP has a variety of modular attachments and can be fitted out for everything from a remotely controlled weapon station to armed reconnaissance, flank security and more.

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One reason why the Marines and other branches of the military are interested in U-AGV equipment like the Mission Master is that it’s a force multiplier. This means it allows a unit to do more with less, turning a 10-person job into a five-person one. That makes these a valuable asset as every branch faces recruiting issues.

The Marine Corps recently put the A-UGV to the test during a live-fire demonstration at Fort Clinton in Ohio. Combined with the Talisman Sabre Exercise in Australia in the summer of 2023 and the Apollo Shield exercise in California in the fall of 2023, it becomes clear the Marines see the Mission Master SP as a good way to help their forces in a fight while protecting their people at the same time.

Maj. Steven Atkinson is the Robotics and Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence branch head for the Science and Technology Division of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.

Atkinson said what separates the Mission Master from other autonomous vehicles is its ability to engage targets on the ground and in the air.

“Experimentation with state-of-the-art autonomous systems exemplifies our commitment to harnessing innovative technologies that enhance our tactical capabilities, ensuring our Marines are better equipped, more agile, and always a step ahead on the battlefield,” Atkinson said.

The U.S. Marine Corps started taking deliveries of these A-UGVs in 2023. In December, American Rheinmetall Vehicles received an order for six additional Mission Master SPs, which will end up with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, who will be the first to conduct pre-deployment preparations and deploy with these new A-UGVs.

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Tags: Automation, Marine Corps, Military Defense, Military recruiting, U.S. military

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR THE VIDEO GAME-PLAYING YOUTH OF 2024 TO BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS ONCE THE HEIGHT OF TANK WARFARE ON A VIDEO SCREEN. TANK 1990, A GAME WITHIN THE GAME OF BATTLE CITY.

FAST FORWARD NEARLY 35 YEARS, AND CONTROLLING A BATTLE-READY VEHICLE ON A VIDEO SCREEN, IS NO LONGER A GAME. THANKS TO THE FOLKS AT AMERICAN RHEINMETALL VEHICLES, IT’S NOW VERY SERIOUS BUSINESS.

THIS IS THE RHEINMETALL MISSION MASTER SP AUTONOMOUS, UNMANNED GROUND VEHICLE, OR A-UGV FOR SHORT. THE U.S. MARINE CORPS STARTED TAKING DELIVERY OF THESE LAST YEAR.

BUILT TO BE USED IN A WIDE RANGE OF SITUATIONS, WITH A VARIETY OF MODULAR ATTACHMENTS, THE MISSION MASTER SP CAN BE FITTED OUT FOR EVERYTHING FROM A REMOTELY CONTROLLED WEAPON STATION TO ARMED RECONNAISSANCE, FLANK SECURITY AND MORE.

ONE REASON WHY THE MARINES AND OTHER BRANCHES ARE INTERESTED IN EQUIPMENT LIKE THE MISSION MASTER IS THAT IT’S A FORCE MULTIPLIER. SIMPLY PUT, IT ALLOWS A UNIT TO DO MORE WITH LESS. HYPOTHETICALLY TURNING A 10-PERSON JOB INTO A FIVE-PERSON JOB. AND THAT MAKES IT A VALUABLE ASSET WHEN EVERY BRANCH OF SERVICE IS FACING RECRUITING ISSUES.

THE MARINE CORPS RECENTLY PUT THE A-UGV TO THE TEST DURING A LIVE-FIRE DEMONSTRATION AT FORT CLINTON, OHIO. ADD TO THAT THE TALISMAN SABRE EXERCISE IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA, LAST SUMMER AND THE APOLLO SHIELD EXERCISE AT TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, LAST FALL AND IT BECOMES PRETTY CLEAR THE MARINES SEE THE MISSION MASTER SP AS A GOOD WAY TO NOT ONLY HELP THEIR PEOPLE IN THE FIGHT, BUT PROTECT THEM AS WELL.

MAJOR STEVEN ATKINSON OF THE MARINE CORPS’ WARFIGHTING LABORATORY SAYS WHAT SEPARATES THE MISSION MASTER FROM OTHER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES IS THE ABILITY TO ENGAGE TARGETS ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR.

IN DECEMBER, AMERICAN RHEINMETALL VEHICLES RECEIVED AN ORDER FOR SIX ADDITIONAL MISSION MASTER SP’S WHICH WILL END UP WITH THE 3RD BATTALION, 4TH MARINES, WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO CONDUCT PRE-DEPLOYMENT PREPARATIONS AND DEPLOY WITH RHEINMETALL’S A-UGVs.