Afghan SMSS Unmanned Vehicle Deployment Trials

Image copyright Lockheed Martin Photo

08/08/2011 Posted by Armed Forces International's Defence Correspondent

Three months of field trials in Afghanistan await Lockheed Martin's new Squad Mission Support System design.

As detailed in a recent LM press release, four of the SMSS vehicles will be deployed in total, for formal MUA (Military Utility Assessment) purposes.

This latest phase of the unmanned ground vehicle's testing programme follows earlier assessments carried out in the US. Once in Afghanistan, the four Lockheed Martin SMSSs will rack up a new military world first - never before have ground vehicles, with external operating controls, worked alongside US Army troops in the field.

Afghan SMSS Unmanned Vehicle Trials

The Afghan SMSS unmanned vehicle trials will see all participating assets work to establish whether, in real-life combat scenarios, the SMSSs really can make a difference in terms of reducing the weight of equipment typically carried by soldiers (especially bearing in mind that one troop might typically carry equipment weighing over 45 kilograms).

The deployment will involve the Block 1 version of the Squad Mission Support System, with a 125 mile operating range. Other features, compared to the earlier SMSS Block O, include aspects designed to cover its profile on the battlefield, like noise-suppressed hydraulics and exhaust insulation. There's also a sensor package that locks onto individual troops or provides autonomous, GPS-based navigation.

Afghan Squad Mission Support System Deployment

No specific date has been given for the Afghan Squad Mission Support System deployment but, broadly speaking, it should take place in late 2011. The SMSS doesn't presently feature armament but, according to Lockheed Martin, this should be integrated into future variants. Next generation SMSSs are also set to boast boosted surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities.

"SMSS is the result of more than a decade of robotic technology development, and we welcome the opportunity to demonstrate this capability in theater, where it can have an immediate impact at the squad level", Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Controls ground vehicles vice president, Scott Greene, explained in a company press release.

"The Army has tested the system's capabilities in three domestic user assessments, and SMSS has been deemed ready to deploy."

"An in-theater assessment is the next logical step in the process of informing the requirements for the Army's future squad-sized UGV developments."