Weapons of Protective Edge: Unmanned APC

13/8/2014 IsraelDefense

For the first time ever, a remote controlled APC participated in the fighting in Gaza, manufactured by G-NIUS

For the first time ever, a remote controlled, unmanned APC participated in combat during Operation Protective Edge.

Information about the unmanned activity was first published in "Israel Hayom".

The APC delivered four tons of supplies each time it entered the field. Soldiers activated it from a control center outside the border, equipped with a screen that transmitted the image seen from the driver's side of the carrier, and gas and brake pedals.

The APC was presented to IsraelDefense by the CEO of G-NIUS, the company that develops it, at the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris two months ago. G-NIUS is a joint company of IAI and Elbit Systems, which also manufactures the first UGV operating in border patrol missions, called "G-NIUS".

The company's CEO, Brig. Gen. (res.) Yoav Hirsch, noted that a line of new development are on the agenda, and in fact it is possible to make all manned vehicles – unmanned.

The APC that took part in the fighting in Gaza is a M-113 APC, called "Zelda" by the soldiers (its official IDF name it "Bardelas"). A similar APC was hit by anti-tank fire during the fighting in Shuja'iyya. Seven soldiers were killed by that fire, and six others were killed during the rescue operation