ARX Robotics and General Dynamics Land Systems-United Kingdom (GDLS-UK) are launching a new collaboration to jointly explore the development of future crewed-uncrewed teaming capabilities for the British Army, including the potential for Ajax to command and control autonomous robotic ‘wingmen’ on the battlefield.
The companies will focus on integrating ARX Robotics’ Hector uncrewed ground vehicle with Ajax, exploring how autonomous systems can operate alongside crewed fighting vehicles to extend their reach, increase battlefield awareness, and reduce soldiers’ exposure to risk.
“By combining Ajax with Hector autonomous wingmen, we can extend the reach and capability of crewed platforms while reducing the number of soldiers who need to be exposed to danger,” said David Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of ARX Robotics UK.
Designed from the outset as an advanced digitized land platform, Ajax possesses the sensing, processing, and command-and-control capabilities required to coordinate autonomous systems at the tactical edge. Through the integration of Hector and Ajax via Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA), crews will be able to task, monitor, and employ autonomous systems to support reconnaissance, surveillance, protection, and combat operations.
Alongside capability development, GDLS-UK and ARX Robotics will explore industrial and skills cooperation to strengthen the UK workforce, supply chain, and manufacturing capacity needed to produce, integrate, and sustain autonomous land systems at scale. In particular, the companies intend to determine how GDLS-UK’s facilities in South Wales could support the production.