The Australian Army has confirmed a technological leap with the firing of a remote weapon system from a remote-controlled vehicle for the first time.

The Australian Defence Force was able to fire a remote weapon system from an Australian Army M113AS4 armoured logistics vehicle during human-machine team exercise at Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria, on 7 June this year.

The exercise was conducted by the Australian Army’s Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office (RICO) with plans to converge several emerging technology projects into a simulated future warfare environment.

During the first Land Autonomous Systems and Teaming demonstration, RICO was able to operate drones, robots, and optionally crewed combat vehicles fitted with remote weapon systems within a conventional combined arms team to defeat a simulated enemy.

Two airborne drone groups were used for real-time surveillance and communications jamming against a simulated enemy position before engagement by enhanced M113AS4s optionally crewed combat vehicles and a third wave of armed (simulated) drones from above. Using image recognition and context awareness, drones would then identify dead, injured, and surrendering enemy personnel while supported by tanks.

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