The 10th Mountain Division from Fort Drum testing a new robotic assistant pack-mule for future soldiers called the Grizzly.
According to WWNY-TV News Channel 7, the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division began evaluations of the new unmanned ground vehicle that can carry up to 1,000 pounds of grip and can provide mobile power generation for small infantry units.
“These guys go through pretty rough terrain, all weather conditions,” said 1st Lt. Diego Alonso, 1st Brigade Combat Team.
There are four different models being tested. The 10th Mountain Division is the first to try them out in a combat situation.
The 1st Brigade Combat Team is in the middle of Mountain Peak, the installation’s largest training exercise of the year.
The transports can be controlled by remote; some of the models from more than a mile away.
The robotic platform could take on additional missions in the future, acting as weapons carriers, small ambulances, and more.
Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division will continue testing the prototypes into the summer.
The Army will use feedback from Fort Drum and Fort Campbell in Kentucky to make improvements and pick out the models it wants to start using.
“The decisions they make impact the Army of the future for a long time, so it’s outstanding to have this unit out here that’s really motivated and doing great stuff for us,” said Lt. Col. Jon Bodenhammer, who’s overseeing vehicle testing.
The final products will roll out in early 2020.
Check out the “Grizzly,” an all-terrain transport system, carrying #10MTN Soldier gear through #NorthCountry brush and snow on the front lines of #MountainPeak. #Innovation @peocscss pic.twitter.com/ciygIsV1W0
— 10th Mountain Div. (@10MTNDIV) 5 December 2018