Jane Edwards
Polaris has launched at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International conference an unmanned ground vehicle the company and its partners proposed for the U.S. Army’s Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport program, Defense News reported Wednesday.
Polaris partnered with Applied Research Associates and Neya Systems in September 2017 to offer the MRZR X unmanned vehicle for the service branch’s SMET program competition.
The Polaris-ARA-Neya group was one of the industry teams the Army picked to advance into the program following a robotics logistics demonstration event held from Sept. 11 to Oct. 14, 2017 at Fort Benning in Georgia.
The service also selected General Dynamics’ land systems business, Howe & Howe and HDT Expeditionary Systems to move forward in the SMET competition.
Each of the four industry teams will develop 20 vehicle platforms for deployment to two infantry brigade combat teams for field testing and analysis under the program, the report added.
Polaris said Tuesday MRZR X is a modular vehicle platform designed to perform traditional operator driving and various autonomous operations in support of military missions such as rescue, logistics, warfighter-driven squad carrier, robotic equipment mule, resupply and casualty evacuation activities.
John Olson, vice president and general manager at Polaris’ government and defense business, said MRZR Z has networked and robotic capabilities designed to facilitate the transition from manned to unmanned configuration for infantry units and special forces.
