Unmanned ground vehicle can blast tanks

Singapore


An unmanned ground vehicle that resembles an oversized golf buggy can be used in battle to blast tanks and shoot down planes, Singapore engineers said today.

Anti-tank or anti-aircraft missiles and anti-personnel weaponry are some of the objects that can be mounted on the "Spartan," said weapon engineers at Singapore Technologies Kinetics.

These allow the robot to blast tanks, shoot down planes and be a deadly nuisance to enemy troops, the engineers say. It also has a top speed of 25 kph and is capable of carrying half a tonne of cargo.

The engineers told The Straits Times they used an all-terrain vehicle built by US-based Polaris Industries and equipped it with various cameras, data links and gears to control the steering wheel.

The technology can be transplanted to other vehicles. If the Spartan is fitted with sensors, it can detect the position of a sniper by tracking the flight of his bullet, the engineers said.

If fitted with cameras, it can be controlled from as far as a kilometre.

Unmanned vehicles are typically used to replace soldiers who would otherwise be at risk in the situation.

ST Kinetics has yet to put a price tag on its creation.

DPA