Integrated Unmanned Ground System

Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (UGS or iMUGS) is a European Union's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project that aims to create a European standard unmanned ground system and develop scalable modular architecture for hybrid manned-unmanned systems, as well as increasing interoperability, situational awareness and speeding up decision making. The project is coordinated by Estonia, with 10 other European countries participating. It will use Milrem's existing THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle for different payloads.[1][2][3]

Integrated Unmanned Ground System
THeMIS that will be used as basis for the iMUGS
(not representative of the final iMUGS design)
TypeUnmanned ground vehicle
Place of origin European Union
Service history
Used by Belgian Land Component

 Czech Land Forces
 Estonian Land Forces
 French Army
 Finnish Army
 German Army
 Hungarian Ground Forces
 Latvian Land Forces
 Royal Netherlands Army
 Polish Land Forces

 Spanish Army
Production history
Manufacturer
14 European companies
ProducedDemonstration planned 2021

The total cost of the programme is €32.6m, of which €30.6m was funded by the European Commission (EDIDP) and the remaining €2m by the participating countries collectively. The aim of the EDIDP programme is to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the European Union and the co-operation between member countries.[4][5]

The project results will be shown in operational environments as part of military exercises or at separate testing events, the first demonstration is scheduled for Q2 2021 in Estonia, with later demonstrations planned in each member state.[6] In October 2022 the project was demonstrated in french Versailles. Unmanned, autonomous groundsystems where performing a diversity of defence missions, such as reconnaissance, evacuation and replenishment. Safran and Nexter where leading the presentation. [7] Further demonstrations where held in german Lehnin in that years December.[8]

After the EDGE group, located in the authoritarian UAE,[9] has bought half of estonian Milrem Robotics in February 2023, the IMUGS technology is revealed to at least one non-NATO state.[10]

Objectives

Goal of the project is to build and demonstrate a system of unmanned ground and airborne vehicles that can perform a variety of surveillance and rescue tasks and standardise a European ecosystem for aerial and ground platforms, command, control and communications, sensors, payloads, and algorithms.[11] The ethical aspects of robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems will be taken into account, Milrem said the system being developed would be under “meaningful human control”.[12]

Requirements set by 7 members:[13]

  • Autonomy
  • Cyber Security
  • Communications & Vehicle to vehicle
  • Command & Control, Interoperability
  • Modular Standardized Open Architecture
  • Swarming
  • Manned-Unmanned Teaming & Operational Scenarios

Capabilities:

  • Multi-mission capable platform to carry different payloads (transport, ISR, tethered UAV etc.) and sensors
  • Cyber secure autonomous navigation capability for route and mission planning with different options for manned-unmanned teaming
  • EW resilient Command & Control interface capable of swarming and interoperable with existing C4 systems

Members

Participating companies

14 companies from across Europe are cooperating on the project:[14]

See also

References
  1. "integrated-unmanned-ground-system-ugs".
  2. Hankewitz, Sten (2020-12-18). "Estonia-led consortium to develop the European standard unmanned ground system". Estonian World. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  3. "EU States Come Together to Develop A Modular UGV". www.defenceprocurementinternational.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  4. "Press corner". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  5. "integrated modular unmanned ground system" (PDF). European Commission. 2019.
  6. MariaTiidus (2020-12-16). "Estonia led consortium to start the development of the European standard unmanned ground system > Centre for Defence Investment". Centre for Defence Investment. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  7. redaktion, spartanat (2022-12-13). "iMUGS: Hier kommt THeMIS UGV". SPARTANAT (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  8. KG, Diehl Stiftung & Co. "iMUGS-Demonstration in Lehnin | Diehl Defence". www.diehl.com (in German). Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  9. "BTI 2022: United Arab Emirates". BTI 2022. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  10. "Arabischer Rüstungskonzern EDGE übernimmt Milrem Robotics". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2023-02-16. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
  11. "Milrem-led consortium receives EU grant to develop European standard unmanned ground system". Janes.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  12. "Milrem Robotics led consortium to start the development of the European standard unmanned ground system". Milrem. 2020-12-16. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  13. "Milrem Robotics led consortium awarded 30,6 MEUR by the European Commission to develop a European standardized unmanned ground system". Milrem. 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  14. Richardson, Jack (2020-06-23). "Development of a European Standardised Unmanned Ground System". European Security & Defence. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  15. "GMV | unmanned ground vehicle". www.gmv.com. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
  16. "dotOcean contributes to the future of an European standard unmanned ground system • dotOcean". dotOcean. 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2021-02-12.
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