Unmanned ground vehicles as “wingmen”: ARX Robotics and GDLS-UK network Hector with Ajax

Autonomous unmanned ground vehicles are to be controlled from the British Ajax reconnaissance vehicle in future. To start with, ARX Robotics and General Dynamics Land Systems-UK want to network the unmanned Hector vehicle with Ajax. In the longer term, reconnaissance, protection and combat could be taken over by entire groups of robotic “wingmen”.

ARX Robotics and General Dynamics Land Systems-United Kingdom (GDLS-UK) intend to jointly develop crewed-uncrewed teaming for the British Army – this is what the agreed cooperation provides for. The central question is how unmanned and autonomous ground platforms can be controlled and coordinated from crewed Ajax vehicles in future.

The first step is the integration of ARX Robotics' Hector with Ajax. One conceivable use of the unmanned ground vehicle is as an autonomous “wingman” taking on reconnaissance, surveillance, protection and combat tasks. Crewed formations are thus to gain greater reach and a better situational picture, while soldiers are kept out of particularly dangerous areas.

The basis for this is Ajax's open, digital architecture. Via the Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA), crews are in future to assign tasks to autonomous systems, monitor them and command them in operations. The companies state that, thanks to its sensor, data processing and command capabilities, Ajax already offers key prerequisites for controlling unmanned systems as a command and control platform.

Unmanned ground vehicles under Ajax command

For the vehicle itself, this could mean a significantly expanded role. Ajax would then no longer conduct reconnaissance solely on its own, but could push forward unmanned platforms that bring additional sensors or other payloads closer to the threat.

The cooperation is guided by the British Army's future operating concepts, above all its 20-40-40 vision. According to this, crewed, uncrewed and autonomous systems are to be linked more closely into a networked force.

“The British Army does not have to choose between its existing platforms and the new generation of autonomous systems. The opportunity lies in connecting them so that they fight as one integrated force”— David Roberts, CEO of ARX Robotics UK

“By combining Ajax with autonomous Hector wingmen, we can increase the reach and capabilities of crewed platforms while reducing the number of soldiers who have to be exposed to danger.”— David Roberts, CEO of ARX Robotics UK

At GDLS-UK, too, the open Ajax architecture is regarded as a decisive advantage. Scott Milne, Vice-President and General Manager there, points out that autonomous platforms, additional sensors and further applications can thus be integrated comparatively quickly – and its capabilities developed further in step with technological progress.

British production of autonomous land systems under review

The cooperation does not end with technical integration, however. In parallel, both companies want to clarify how autonomous land systems can be manufactured in larger numbers in the United Kingdom and supported over the long term.

The production and integration capacities that GDLS-UK already has in South Wales could become important in this respect. Areas under examination include:

• final assembly and integration of the systems
• manufacturing technology and CNC machining
• building up British supply chains
• training, maintenance and long-term support of the systems

“If the United Kingdom wants to deploy autonomy at a relevant scale, it also needs the corresponding sovereign production capability”— David Roberts

For ARX Robotics and General Dynamics, the planned combination of Ajax and Hector thus goes beyond a single integration project. It is intended to pave the way for formations in which conventional armoured vehicles operate together with autonomous robots: the crewed Ajax as a digital command node, unmanned systems as forward-deployed “wingmen”.