Anduril Industries has partnered with Hanwha Defense USA on the US Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) Increment II program.
An uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) will be offered for the program based on Hanwha’s proven Arion-SMET platform, featuring Anduril’s mission software.
Additionally, ground-based autonomous solutions provider Forterra (formerly RRAI) will integrate its AutoDrive vehicle autonomy solution into the platform, enabling “complex on and off-road maneuvers.”
Arion-SMET
The Arion-SMET was the first Korean military UGV selected for the Pentagon’s Foreign Comparative Performance Test.
It demonstrated its performance for the test with both the US Army and Marine Corps in Hawaii.
The Korean platform offers a payload capacity of 55 kilograms (121 pounds), a range of 100 kilometers (62 miles), and a speed of 43 kilometers (27 miles) per hour.
The US Army is reportedly planning to acquire 2,000 next-generation S-METs in addition to the 624 already ordered from General Dynamics Land Systems in 2020.
SMET Increment II Features
The UGV is expected to feature a significant load-carrying and power generation capacity and modular architecture to accommodate a range of payloads.
“By combining Anduril’s electronics and software, Hanwha Defense USA’s proven hardware, and Forterra’s proven off-road vehicle autonomy stack, the partnership will bring speed, flexibility, and advanced capabilities to dismounted infantry,” Anduril’s head of strategy Zach Mears said.
“With a simplified user interface powered by Lattice, users will be able to quickly and easily command and control the S-MET to support lethal effects at the tactical edge.”