Australian Defence Force (ADF) Academy has announced that it received two Mk6 unmanned ground vehicles in August.
The delivery is expected to dispose of the forearm-burning store carries.
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The academy received the vehicles after undergoing testing at Exercise Talisman Sabre, reported private Jacob Joseph.
The vehicles will be restored by the cadets to a serviceable state while the engineering students will work on the platforms, which will be used in cadet leadership challenges.
The remote-controlled six-wheeled vehicles are known as mules and can carry loads up to 600kg.
Robotics & Autonomous Systems implementation and coordination office emerging technology major Ash Crosby added: “We don’t want to do the experimentation and just dispose of the units once the activity period is finished, especially when they can continue to offer value to the ADF.
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By GlobalData“Two Mk6 platforms were given to ADFA and four Mk7 UGV platforms were delivered to Defence Science and Technology groups in Adelaide and Melbourne.”
The vehicles were initially pitched as a method to manoeuvre casualties and cargo in the battlefield. Soldiers have also used them to carry electrical cabling or defensive stores.
Future of War VECC, which is an extracurricular club, took the delivery of the mules. The club aims to carry out discussions on the impact of technology on war.
VECC vice-president Hugo McMeeken said: “We always hear about how technological development is impacting warfighting. To have this initial exposure will be incredibly helpful for us.
“It gets us thinking about what the future could look like so we can develop our own ideas.”
