Estonia’s Milrem Robotics announced on 8 February that it had delivered a Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to the Thai Defence Technology Institute (DTI) in late 2021.
The company said the UGV, known as the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV), will be tested and evaluated by DTI and the Royal Thai Army.
According to Milrem Robotics, the RCV comprises the THeMIS UGV and the Electro Optic Systems (EOS) R400S Mk2-HD remote weapon station (RWS) armed with the Northrop Grumman M230 LF 30 mm automatic cannon.
Created by Milrem Robotics in co-operation with the Estonian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Estonian Defence Forces in 2014, The THeMIS UGV was first unveiled at the DSEI exhibition in London in September 2015.
“It’s our honour to be the robotic systems partner with Royal Thai Army and DTI. This is a significant delivery and deployment for the Milrem THeMIS. It demonstrates that the THeMIS can master very challenging environments,” said Milrem Robotics CEO Kuldar Väärsi.
“Also, the successful integration of a 30 mm weapon system brings THeMIS firepower to the next level,” added Väärsi. “Cooperation with DTI will grow the local robotic technology capabilities in Thailand in terms of the local assembly and system integration.”
The THeMIS UGV is a field-proven platform having been involved in numerous military exercises and field trials with various countries around the world. The baseline vehicle comprises two tracked, meachanised pods – which also house its batteries and diesel generator – integrated via a centrally mounted bay, which can accommodate payloads that can be swapped to suit mission requirements.
Earlier models of the THeMIS were powered by a Kubota diesel generator and lead-acid batteries, although more recent vehicles are now equipped with a more powered Caterpillar engine with lithium-ion batteries.
When configured for combat operations, THeMIS UGVs can provide direct fire support for manoeuvre forces and act as a force multiplier for dismounted troops, enabling them to observe and engage adversaries at standoff distances. The type has also been seen at defence exhibitions and field trials with a wide variety of weapons, including heavy machine guns, 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles.
Milrem Robotics is also developing a larger combat UGV called the Type-X RCV, which is designed to support manned fighting vehicles.
by Jr Ng
