The Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) wants to repeat the success of UAVs on the unmanned ground, marine and submarine vehicles. The President of SSB, Professor İsmail Demir, signed the serial production-intent agreements and criticised slow development.
Within the scope of the light, medium, and heavy class unmanned ground vehicle programmes, SSB organised an “Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Military Robotic Technologies Ceremony.” The demonstration of Light Class Unmanned Ground Vehicles as part of the programme and signing ceremonies for intent for serial production of Medium and Heavy Class Unmanned Ground Vehicles.
At the ceremony, SSB President Demir delivered the introductory remarks. According to Demir, artificial intelligence and autonomous robotic technologies have a place on the future battlefield. Demir stated that Turkey intends to replicate the success of unmanned aerial vehicles on the unmanned ground, sea, and submarine systems and that multi-role unmanned vehicles may become a reality in the future. Demir claimed that they have developed by anticipating the future, pointing out that integrating such systems would work together in the field. He also stated that the feedback they receive from field users is critical for creating UGV prototypes.
Demir criticised the industry for not being sufficient, despite the work having begun a long time ago. He added that more competent items must be sent to the field as quickly as feasible. He also stated that when the technologies are deployed in the field, they will evolve based on the input. Demir noted that considering the future of vehicles is vital since they may play a role in more than one sector, such as both on land and in the air.
After Demir’s speech, FNSS company General Manager and CEO Nail Kurt signed the Heavy Class UGV Mass production-intent statement.
ASELSAN, Best Group, Elektroland Defence and Havelsan companies signed the declaration of intent for mass production of medium-class UGVs.
The ceremony included the exhibition and display of the UGVs.
FNSS will produce the Shadow Rider UGV, a family of modular autonomous unmanned ground vehicles designed to meet the modern battlefield’s multi-operational needs and support soldiers in complex and challenging terrains.
With its artificial intelligence-supported autonomy kit, decision support systems, sensor suite, positional and situational awareness systems, and positional and situational awareness systems, the Shadow Rider is a system solution that will alleviate the role of the soldier on the battlefield and become a force multiplier for the user in full-spectrum missions.
The autonomous kit created by FNSS is installed on the UGV. The autonomy kit, which has autonomous driving modes such as patrol, track and returns to military base, has various layers of protection for a safe ride. The FNSS autonomy kit is built with an open architecture to allow for quick adaption to technology advances.
In the armed variant of the Shadow Rider designed for fire support missions, the “man” is always in the loop in the decision-making process. The system does not make the firing decision.
FNSS debuted its Shadow Rider prototype on the M113 platform for the first time at IDEF 2019. The Shadow Rider provides optional manned use and has a payload capacity of 4500 kg.
Shadow rider will have FNSS’s SABER-25 turret installed. FNSS plans to manufacture five variants of Shadow Rider.
ASELSAN, Elektroland Defence and HAVELSAN are other key players in the UGV market. ASELSAN President and CEO Professor Haluk Görgün, Elektroland President Ferhat Uğur, HAVELSAN General Manager Mehmet Akif Nacar attended the signing ceremony along with other defence companies.
ASELSAN has two unmanned ground solutions such as ASLAN and O-İKA2. Elektroland Defence is specialised in remote-controlled vehicles suitable for different missions. Its micro-robotics are already in the inventory.
HAVELSAN has produced its BARKAN unmanned ground vehicle, but it is a misperception that the company will become a manufacturer. HAVELSAN develops the “digital soldiers” concept. The BARKAN will play a role in the development of the “digital soldier” concept. The concept aims to integrate all unmanned systems and develop software suitable for all systems.
