Milrem Robotics has successfully tested its Type-X robotic combat vehicle, integrating it with the MBDA Akeron LP (Longue Portée) missile and SignalGeneriX’s RFHunter radio direction finder. This new integration equips the unmanned vehicle with an anti-tank capability, significantly enhancing its ability to detect and engage threats while maintaining the safety of operators.
The Akeron LP missile represents the latest advancement in the Akeron family of multi-role guided missiles, boasting an impressive maximum range of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles). The RFHunter, a portable system weighing just 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds), enhances the Type-X’s capabilities by passively monitoring a wide range of communication frequencies to accurately pinpoint the direction of radio sources. This technology allows the robotic vehicle to identify and engage potential targets before they can pose a danger.
Tasos Kounoudes, Founder and CEO of SignalGeneriX, emphasized that this integration aims to provide real-time electromagnetic spectrum situational awareness. It significantly improves the operational intelligence and survivability of the Type-X in contested environments.
Since its unveiling in 2020, the Type-X has been designed to execute various battlefield missions while keeping personnel out of harm’s way. The mobile modular multi-mission vehicle serves as the foundational platform for a series of unmanned armored vehicles, intending to succeed traditional fighting vehicles. With a weight of less than 12 tons, it can be rapidly deployed to combat zones either by parachute or heavy-lift helicopters. The platform is versatile, capable of being outfitted with various weapon systems, including cannons, anti-aircraft guns, radars, and mortars.
The recent test also falls under the ambit of the European Defence Fund Modular Architecture Solution for EU States (MARSEUS) project, led by MBDA France. This initiative seeks to enhance existing European missiles by developing beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) capabilities. MARSEUS builds upon the foundations laid by the 2019 European Defence Industrial Development Programme-linked Lynkeus project, which focused on creating a preliminary operational concept for a BLOS anti-tank system incorporating unmanned aerial vehicles for target designation and location.
Coordinated by MBDA, this 36-month project involves collaboration among 15 entities from various European countries, including notable players such as the Royal Military Academy, John Cockerill Defense, FN Herstal, and Xenics from Belgium, as well as Additess and SignalGeneriX from Cyprus, and multiple organizations from France, including Novadem, Atos, Arquus, and Delair.
