The Estonian company Milrem Robotics posted on Twitter its next photo of the TypeX combat complex. About it writes Defense-blog.
As the author of Defense-blog writes., the new unmanned complex is designed to replace conventional combat vehicles, used for transporting personnel. This will protect the military, while maintaining the same combat power. Estonian and Swedish engineers work on the machine project.
The official website of the company Milrem Robotics does not say about the possibility of using an armored complex for transporting soldiers, and the emphasis is only on his participation in the fire cover of units. But the possibility of using TypeX as a transport platform for equipment and the military was previously allowed by Milrem Robotics CEO Kuldar Väärsi.
On the photo, published by Milrem Robotics, we see a combat vehicle, which looks like a tank. The tower of the combat vehicle is equipped with a 30 mm gun and a machine gun caliber 7,62 mm. Besides, 30-a millimeter gun can be changed to a 50 mm.
The combat vehicle is being developed taking into account the requirements of the armies of several NATO countries, including the USA. By the fall 2020 years, the company plans to present a finished prototype.
Lennart Ruuda in the Estonian Postimees newspaper writes, that the uniqueness of the new combat complex is due to a combination of three main factors: it's a hybrid drivetrain, ability to work fully offline, complete lack of crew. The last feature is the most important., since infantry fighting vehicles are still controlled by people, and not robots.
Estimated type of combat vehicle in the previous version
TypeX drone control is not the only advantage. Car almost in 3 times lighter than medium infantry fighting vehicle, which provides her great mobility, including accessibility by plane. TypeX also has a lower profile, which reduces the possibility of its detection by the enemy in the field. As for weapons, the complex is equipped with a module with a bicaliber 30/55-mm gun.
Recall, that Milrem Robotics is a well-known company in the world of military industry. At the moment, the company's most “promoted” product is the THeMIS ground tracked trackless complex., in service with a number of states, including France. French Armed Forces use THeMIS during fighting against terrorists in Mali.
Successful THeMIS experience significantly boosted Milrem Robotics' credibility in the European arms market. The growing demand for products led the company’s management to the idea of proposing a new technical solution - a crewless combat vehicle, which in the future could completely replace traditional infantry fighting vehicles.
Ground crewless THeMIS complex
Milrem Robotics CEO Kuldar Väärsi, as noted, expressed confidence earlier, that in the foreseeable future the demand for robotics in the military sphere will only grow, which will allow to use less and less military personnel in dangerous missions.
Potential customers of the new combat complex will be, besides the estonian army, armed forces of many other European countries. true, expectations of Italy and Spain may not come true due to the coronavirus pandemic, since these countries have suffered the most in Europe and are now unlikely to be able to lay out impressive amounts for new models of weapons and military equipment.
