Team RIPSAW, a collaboration between Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, and Teledyne FLIR Defense, has been chosen to participate in the US Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) Phase I programme.
This partnership aims to bring robotic technology to the forefront of military operations, offering solutions for tomorrow’s battlefield.
Under Phase I of the programme, Team RIPSAW will deliver two prototype RIPSAW M3 vehicles in 2024. These vehicles will undergo testing by the US Army, evaluating their mobility, sensor performance, remote vehicle control, and overall system reliability.
Concurrently, Team RIPSAW will work on the preliminary design for the M3 variant, enhancing its capabilities further.
Designed to meet the US Army’s exacting requirements, it strongly emphasises transportability and mission versatility. Its open architecture design and common chassis allow for a wide range of field exchangeable payloads, making it adaptable for various mission profiles.
The US Army has selected four companies for their Robotic Combat Vehicle prototypes. The US Army has also chosen Oshkosh for the future Robotic Combat Vehicle programme for its team’s design proposal.
Oshkosh is set to deliver two platform prototypes to the US Army by August 2024. The other competitor companies for the programme include McQ, Inc. and General Dynamics Land Systems.
Team RIPSAW has been actively investing in this family of robotic vehicles since 2019, starting with the debut of the RIPSAW M5 system. Subsequent variants, including the M5-E (electric) and M3 Tech Demonstrator, have been developed through collaboration with industry partners, academia, and the US Army.
These vehicles have executed multiple mission sets in diverse environmental and test conditions, accumulating over 2,000 miles of durability testing.
David Phillips, Senior Vice President of Land Systems and Sea Systems at Textron Systems, expressed, “Team RIPSAW combines the specialities of Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, and Teledyne FLIR Defense, creating a mission-ready system to support the Army’s needs.
Building on our proven cross-domain capabilities and experience, the vehicle has evolved and adapted based on customer feedback, leading us to the RIPSAW M3 of today.”
Textron Systems has experience in ground vehicle manufacturing and cross-domain robotics.
With over two million hours of uncrewed vehicle experience across air, land, and maritime domains, as well as participation in cross-domain demonstrations like Project Convergence, the partnership aims to revolutionise military robotics, ensuring US Army forces are equipped with technology to meet the challenges of modern warfare.
