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The United States Army concluded the xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition on March 13 in Vilseck, Germany, where three autonomy technology companies tested unmanned ground systems built on tactical vehicles from Polaris Government and Defense. The event evaluated autonomous vehicle technologies designed for military logistics, reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation missions. The competition is part of the Army’s effort to identify new automated ground platforms capable of operating in contested environments while reducing risk to personnel. During the competition, autonomy developers Dataspeed Inc., Forterra, and Overland AI integrated their technologies into different Polaris off-road platforms. The systems competed in the Uncrewed, Automated, Modular Ground Platforms category using commercial and military vehicles adapted for autonomous operations. According to information released by Polaris Government and Defense, the vehicles used during the demonstrations included the MRZR D4 ultralight tactical vehicle, the RANGER XD 1500 utility side-by-side, and the RZR XP 1000 Sport side-by-side. Each platform was paired with an autonomous control system developed by the participating companies. The aim was to demonstrate how existing tactical mobility vehicles could support unmanned missions on the battlefield. Kinetic360 autonomous vehicle system. (Polaris pic) Polaris Government and Defense Vice President Nick Francis said the company’s off-road platforms are increasingly used as base vehicles for autonomous systems. “Polaris vehicles have become force multipliers for expeditionary warfighters worldwide, and the integration of autonomy can expand the roles and capabilities of the vehicles even further,” Francis said. “As a commercial company with high volume production capacity, we are uniquely suited to provide affordable commercial unmanned ground vehicles at scale,” he added. The MRZR D4, used by Dataspeed, was equipped with the company’s Kinetic360 autonomous vehicle system and drive-by-wire technology. The system is designed to allow the vehicle to operate without a driver during missions such as logistics resupply, reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation. Dataspeed CEO Paul Fleck said the system enables the vehicle to support multiple autonomous missions in operational environments. “Polaris has built one of the most trusted tactical mobility platforms in the world with the MRZR D. By integrating Dataspeed’s autonomy technologies, including our Kinetic360™ system and Drive-by-Wire platform, we’re enabling that vehicle to support uncrewed missions such as sustainment, reconnaissance, and CASEVAC,” Fleck said. “Our goal is to provide defense teams with autonomous systems that can operate reliably in rugged, contested environments while reducing risk to personnel,” he added. The Forterra team used the Polaris RANGER XD 1500 as the base platform for its LANCER autonomous ground vehicle. The RANGER XD 1500 is a heavy-duty utility side-by-side vehicle powered by a ProStar 1500cc three-cylinder gasoline engine producing 110 horsepower. The vehicle is equipped with STEELDRIVE automatic transmission, which the company said offers improved durability and control for heavy-duty operations. Overland AI used the Polaris RZR XP 1000 platform for its ULTRA autonomous ground vehicle. The vehicle integrates Overland AI’s OverDrive autonomy software, which allows it to navigate complex terrain and conduct aggressive tactical maneuvers. ULTRA autonomous ground vehicle (Polaris pic) Greg Okopal, co-founder and chief operating officer of Overland AI, said the Polaris platform has been central to the company’s development work. “Overland AI got its start on the Polaris RZR, and now we build our custom vehicle ULTRA based on that chassis,” Okopal said. “The platform’s off-road performance, speed, and reliability are foundational to what we do, and Polaris has been a critical enabler of our mission from day one,” he added. Polaris tactical vehicles are already used by more than 50 military and security forces worldwide, according to the company. The MRZR D platform in particular is widely used by expeditionary forces and special operations units due to its lightweight design and ability to operate in difficult terrain. The vehicle’s modular payload system, diesel powertrain, and compatibility with air and sea transport make it suitable for rapid deployment missions. Polaris also noted that the MRZR D is available through a NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) contract, which allows NATO members and partner countries to acquire the vehicle through streamlined procurement channels.

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U.S. Army tests Polaris autonomous ground vehicles in Germany

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About The Defence Blog