2018 AUSA Global Force Symposium & Exposition Mid-Day Report (Day 1)
This year’s AUSA Global event finds Polaris Government & Defense (Booth #121) ultralight, all-terrain and tactical vehicles in service with each of the US military services and more than 30 militaries around the world. That includes the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and US Special Forces.
Mark McCormick, the Senior Director at the company, pointed out Polaris vehicles are selected for their off-road mobility and transportability, paired with an internationally supported COTS supply chain and field service representative network. The corporate executive added: “This means they meet a primarily off-road mission requirement, as well as height, width, length and weight restrictions for internal and sling load transportation on military helicopters like V-22, CH-47 and CH-53. They also are available for purchase direct, or on GSA [US General Services Administration], which gives our customers options. We like to say it’s ‘Mobility Made Easy’ – easy to buy, operate, train and maintain.”
For the first time at AUSA in Huntsville, Team Polaris is displaying its MRZR X. Mr. McCormick noted: “This vehicle was developed by our team – Polaris, ARA and Neya Systems. The MRZR is the preferred platform among infantry units and Special Forces worldwide, which helps make its integration and the transition from manned to unmanned systems easier for the warfighter. The MRZR X maintains the MRZR mission profile and payload our customers are accustomed to, plus it has additional robotic and networked capabilities to further support warfighters.”
The MRZR X is one culmination of the company’s technology thrust in the unmanned ground vehicle market space. While Polaris has been developing off-road platforms for robotics for years, “we’re most focused on the MRZR X right now,” the sector expert explained and continued, “As military forces worldwide look to lighten the warfighter’s load, the MRZR X provides an evolving, robotics capable, multi-mission platform. In addition, the MRZR X provides worldwide commonality with the MRZRs already in service in the US and more than 30 allied nations.”
More specifically, the MRZR X provides warfighters with a modular support platform and various modes of operation: traditional operator driving and multiple levels of autonomy, including the capability for: remote control; teleoperation; “follow-me”; “leader-follower” and full autonomy. This allows the MRZR X to enhance and evolve mobility in varying roles, such as robotic equipment mule, autonomous resupply, warfighter-driven squad carrier, logistics support vehicle, rescue missions and high-speed casualty evacuation.
Polaris is also featuring the MRZR D4 in its exposition floor booth. The MRZRs off-road mobility, heavy fuel compatibility and internal transport certifications on vertical-lift aircraft make it a force multiplier for light infantry units.
Mr. McCormick added the squad-ready DAGOR is also on display at this event, “right on the heels of our [21 March ] announcement of a next-generation – the DAGOR A1 – which provides improved performance and capabilities with better mobility and operator functionality.”
The latest DAGOR iteration is evolved for global mission requirements. The Polaris official concluded: “It has improved performance and capabilities with better mobility and operator functionality. DAGOR is deployed around the world. Its flexible and modular design allows it to fulfill a number of missions and evolve with threats. DAGOR A1 is our answer to operators that are asking for more payload and mobility, with an increase of more than 20 percent in total carrying capacity. The DAGOR A1 is ideally suited to provide enhanced tactical mobility as well as command and control for infantry forces at the squad, company level and higher.”
DAGOR customers include US Special Forces, the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), multiple European militaries and additional global forces.
Marty Kauchak
