70mm LRG at Rheinmetall’s SP UGV: Both demonstrated in live fire
Germany’s Rheinmetall demonstrated its Mission Master SP unmanned ground vehicle, which was equipped with a Fieldranger Multi weapon station and two 70mm seven-pipe Thales FZ275 rocket launchers. The demonstration took place in Sweden on behalf of the Swedish Public Procurement Agency Försvarets Materielverk [FMV]. The demonstration was also attended by representatives from the military ministries of Belgium, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Poland.
Mission Master SP showed easy overcoming of bushes and wooded areas, muddy areas, and areas with different slopes. All the sections that Mission Master SP overcame were very snowy and slippery. An operator with a laser rangefinder marked the target [SUV] and the data was passed on to another operator, who through a digital control system of the weapons station gave a command to the Mission Master SP and FZ275 missile systems. A shot followed and the missile accurately hit the target – a 4×4 SUV at a distance of 4 kilometers.
The shot was also fired at an angle so that the guests of the demonstration could be sure of the stability of the vehicle during the live shooting. Rheinmetall says that the architecture of the Mission Master SP allows the integration of other weapon stations, such as 12.7 mm machine guns, Dillon Aero M134D pistols, or 40 mm grenade launchers.
For Mission Master SP UGV and FZ275
Mission Master SP UGV is part of the Rheinmetall family of Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicles [A-UGVs]. It was designed and developed by the Canadian branch of the company. Mission Master SP UGV is powered by an electric motor, which makes it silent. This allows the vehicle to take part in a wide range of military operations, especially reconnaissance to penetrate the enemy’s rear.
Without a weapon station integrated into it, the vehicle is designed to supply light payloads, such as sectional sensors and weapon systems.
The FZ275 is a budget 70mm laser-guided missile, part of the Thales weapon system. Each missile is equipped with a HE warhead with a striking fuze. One rocket is nearly 2 meters long and weighs 12 kilograms. It is aimed with the help of a semi-active SAL laser system. The rocket is powered by FZ276 MOD.2 rocket motor and has a range of 1.5 to 8 kilometers.
FZ275 was developed in 2006, and in 2010 the first flight test of the missile was performed. In 2015, in South Africa, the missile was tested as an air-to-ground type after being successfully launched from a helicopter. In 2017, again in Sweden, the H145M helicopter successfully launched the FZ275.