Many modern models of military equipment are the fruit of the successful collaboration of several development companies. In addition, the approach of combining several existing samples into a new complex is popular. European companies MBDA and Milrem Robotics used both of these approaches, resulting in a promising robotic complex with guided missile weapons.
Premiere screening
A promising RTK with missile weapons has not yet received its own name, and it is named according to its main components. A prototype of such a system was first shown in September during the London DSEI 2019 exhibition. This year, the exhibition has once again confirmed its status as one of the main venues for premieres of new European developments.
Combat RTK is the result of cooperation between the Estonian company MILREM Robotics and the international MBDA Missile Systems. At the same time, the cooperation was quite simple. The two companies have combined existing projects and, based on them, have created a completely new sample of robotic military equipment.
The Estonian company provided its THeMIS universal chassis for RTK. This product has been actively promoted on the international market for several years and regularly becomes the basis for specialized designs. This time he was armed with Brimstone guided missiles developed by MBDA.
The authors of the project indicate that the new RTK is designed to combat armored units of a potential enemy. Due to the use of a ready-made, waste chassis with high characteristics, the complex must reach the specified line in a timely manner, and the missiles will ensure the destruction of targets. An important feature is the substantial ammunition of the robot. In previous projects, only one missile was put on the MILREM platform, and now it carries six.
The commercial prospects for the new development remain unclear. So far, there is no information about the interest from potential customers, not to mention the signing of contracts. However, such news may appear in the foreseeable future.
Base chassis
The basis of the new RTK is the remotely controlled platform THeMIS developed by MILREM Robotics. It is a tracked chassis with a characteristic architecture. All own chassis devices are housed in two side housings, each of which carries a track. The hulls are connected to each other by a central platform suitable for mounting various systems, weapons, etc.
Thanks to this, the THeMIS product can carry cargo, various equipment and weapons - up to guided missiles. Several versions of specialized RTKs for various purposes have already been built and tested with one or another equipment or weapon. Several similar samples are shown only in the form of promotional materials so far.
The THeMIS has a length of 2.4 m and a width of 2 m. The unladen weight is 1630 kg, the payload is up to 750 kg. A combined power plant with a diesel engine, electric motors and batteries is used. The control is carried out by radio channel; there is a set of cameras and sensors on board for driving. There is a possibility to control the payload.
In its current form, THeMIS can operate at a distance of up to 1.5 km from the operator. The duration of operation depends on the mode of the power plant. Hybrid mode provides 15 hours of operation, batteries - no more than 1-1.5 hours.
Target equipment
An unnamed joint project proposes to mount several new devices on the THeMIS chassis. In front of the cargo platform, a vertical flap is placed to cover other units. Behind it is a swinging rectangular missile launcher.
The installation is made in the form of a protected box with fastenings for containers with missiles. Before starting, the installation must rise to a certain angle, while its front cut is above the chassis flap. Further, a guided missile can be fired. In the dimensions of the THeMIS platform, it was possible to place six Brimstone missiles - in two rows of three units each.
The launcher weighs about 100 kg. Six TPKs with missiles account for over 300 kg. Thus, the new equipment not only fully fits into the limitations of the base chassis, but also leaves a solid reserve of carrying capacity.
The new RTK is armed with MBDA Brimstone guided missiles. Such a missile is a versatile weapon for land and air platforms designed to engage various types of ground targets. In this case, a rocket is used, adapted to launch from the ground from a TPK.
The Brimstone rocket has a cylindrical body with a diameter of 180 mm and a length of 1.8 m with two sets of planes, in the head and tail. It is equipped with a solid-propellant engine and a tandem cumulative warhead to engage protected targets. Fuse - contact.
The missile is equipped with a combined guidance system that includes several different instruments and provides a fire-and-forget application. The instrument compartment houses an autopilot and an inertial navigation system for control on the initial leg of the trajectory. There is also an active millimeter-wave radar seeker and a semi-active laser head. Two GOS can be used independently or simultaneously - depending on the characteristics of the combat mission.
On the prototype and in the advertising materials for the new RTK, there are no visible optical or radar means of searching for targets. It is possible that the presented machine is only a self-propelled launcher, while the search and distribution of targets should be carried out by a different model. It cannot be ruled out that such a target designator can also be built on an Estonian chassis.
Prospects of the project
The joint project of MBDA and MILREM Robotics is quite interesting. It continues the ideology of two basic projects: the MILREM THeMIS platform receives a new weapon option, and the Brimstone universal missile expands the range of its carriers. The combination of these two products in one RTK leads to very curious consequences.
The THeMIS platform has been present at all major exhibitions for a long time, being tested and receiving high marks. The installation of the new launcher fully confirms its potential as a versatile carrier for various payloads. In addition, this fact can become an additional advertisement for the chassis and various samples based on it.
The Brimstone missile is already in service with several countries and is also receiving high marks. The MBDA company regularly presents new versions of missile systems based on it, incl. land - another sample of this kind was built on a robotic chassis.
The combination of two successful samples led to the emergence of a promising combat RTK. Its advantages include small size and weight, sufficiently high mobility and the ability to work at a distance from the operator, which reduces the risks for the latter. With all this, the tracked chassis carries modern effective guided missiles capable of hitting a wide range of targets within a radius of several kilometers. The greatest effectiveness of such a RTK can show when working as an anti-tank weapon.
In theory, such RTKs can operate independently or in groups. With their help, you can organize or strengthen anti-tank defense in a dangerous area. It will be difficult for the enemy to detect the threat in time and take measures to eliminate it. At the same time, a unit of robots is capable of carrying a large general ammunition load, sufficient to disable a significant number of targets.
There are also disadvantages. The main one is the presence of a radio control channel exposed to the enemy's electronic warfare means. The lack of own means of searching for targets significantly complicates the entire anti-tank complex and can complicate its operation. In addition, disabling the reconnaissance robot excludes further effective use of self-propelled launchers. The limited performance of the THeMIS chassis can also be a problem. Due to its small size and weight, this platform is significantly inferior in cross-country ability to larger army vehicles.
Nevertheless, the joint project of MILREM Robotics and MBDA is of great interest already at the concept level. The versatile robotic platform is combined with versatile guided missiles to create an entirely new missile system. A sample of this kind has certain commercial prospects and may well be of interest to some customers. In addition, such a concept can be developed in new projects.
So far, a promising rocket complex based on a robotic chassis has been demonstrated only at the exhibition. If there is interest from potential customers, the complex can be brought to the next stages and brought to the market. Time will tell how successful the new development was - and how many customers decided to implement new ideas in their armies.
