Turkish combat vehicle manufacturer FNSS has launched the U-MAV, its new amphibious uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV).
The UGV has been conceived as a first-wave amphibious assault weapon to keep human troops out of harm’s way during littoral operations.
The 8-ton drone can swim to shore at 7 knots and is capable of moving at more than 40mph once on land. The drone can be carried underneath or inside heavy-lift helicopters and strategic airlifters including the CH-47F Chinook, Mil Mi-26, C-130 Hercules, A400M, C-17 Globemaster, C-5 Galaxy, An-124, and Il-76.
The UGV has a 1.8-mile line-of-sight communications range, which can be extended by using uncrewed aerial systems in tandem. If communications are interrupted, the drone can be programmed to either return to base or continue on a pre-determined route, as per mission requirements.
Its modular design means it can be swapped between ten different configurations; as per FNSS, each switch can be carried in the field in about 40 minutes.
The suggested mission profiles for U-MAV are: Fire Support, Mine Clearance, Combat Engineering, Electronic Warfare (EW), Reconnaissance (RECCE), Deception, Counter-Drone, Navigation and Obstacle Marking, Logistics Support, and Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC).
FNSS CEO Selim Baybaş commented: “FNSS continues to grow its work and its R&D investment in unmanned and autonomous vehicle technologies.
“U-MAV brings together our engineering capability, the field success of the Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV) and our continuing R&D effort in a new-generation, heavy-class unmanned amphibious vehicle.”
- You can read more details on the FNSS website
