MCL and IAI to Deliver Evaluation RPVs to UK
Marlborough Communications Limited (MCL – a Cohort plc company) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), will deliver four Remote Platoon Vehicles (RPVs) to support and enhance experimentation and capability development for UK land operations, with MCL becoming a major contractor to the UK MoD RPV Framework Group, the companies announced on 1 September.
The RPVs, designed and manufactured by IAI’s ELTA Systems group, are robust, versatile multi-purpose/multi-mission unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) that support and complement troops on the ground and enhance their force protection in battlefield conditions. In addition to their ISTAR capabilities, the RPVs can provide logistic support by carrying platoon equipment, supplying ammunition and extracting casualties. They can be operated in manual, remote or autonomous modes.
Shane Knight, MCL’s Managing Director, said that securing the company’s first contract with partner IAI, “[…] is testament to our heritage in integrating and delivering industry-leading capabilities for the UK MoD, working with specialist technology partners such as IAI. Securing the Spiral 2 contract has been a collaborative team effort, and the first step toward exploring new opportunities within the UK.”
MCL was previously awarded a contract to supply 4 Mission Adaptable Platform System UGVs to Spiral 1 of the RPV Experimentation Programme, which is an MoD Future Capability Group project to determine the future requirements of UGVs through a series of trials.
“IAI Land Division’s autonomous vehicles provide a wide range of multi-domain multi-mission solutions to team with manoeuvring ground forces while providing vital tools to commanders and leaders. IAI’s Land Division is built on the understanding of our need to support ground forces in the field and ensure minimal danger and risk to the troops, this while transferring information in real-time,” added IAI President & CEO, Boaz Levy.