UAE-based EDGE Group unveiled its HAVOC 8x8 heavy UGV armed with a 30x173 mm chain gun and Estonian Frankenburg Technologies’ low-cost C-UAS missiles.
The new UGV is a competitor to UGVs such as Milrem Type-X, Ripsaw M5, and Otokar ALPAR in terms of size and firepower. However, HAVOC diverges with its 8x8 wheeled layout, whereas the UGVs mentioned earlier are tracked.
HAVOC with a curb weight (Full fuel + standard equipment) of 20 tonnes can reach a speed of 50 km/h off-road and 110 km/h on-road. The armour provides a protection of STANAG 4569 Level 3 against projectiles and artillery fragments (7.62x51 AP, 155 mm shell fragments at 60 m away) and Level 1 against mines/IEDs (Grenades and submunitions). These values are undetailed as there is no specification of aspects.
The armament consists of a turret armed with a 30x173 chain gun and Estonian Frankenburg Technologies’ C-UAS missile. The latter is the interesting part about the armament, as medium-calibre weapons are already common for UGVs of this size.
Frankenburg Technologies’ C-UAS missile, with a range of two kilometres, uses an AI-assisted electro-optical seeker for autonomy and better target discrimination compared to the IR guidance of MANPADS.
This would give HAVOC a defensive side, which could include protecting infantry and other vehicles from kamikaze or munition-dropping UAVs, which are among the leading threats to ground assets on today’s battlefield.
