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HH Technologies Ripsaw UGV

2009 MODERN X-TANK

History

The U.S. Army is evaluating various unmanned systems that can be deployed with its forward combat infantry units. The unmanned tracked vehicle "Ripsaw" is being discussed for possible use on the front lines.

Developed by Howe & Howe Technologies (HH Technologies) - The company also sells a wide range of compact manned/unmanned vehicles for a variety of industries, including self-propelled wheelchairs, recreational vehicles, fire trucks, protected SWAT-BOTs and EOD Clear Ripsaw - Designed with an aluminum frame, 2,000 lb payload, 24 inches of ground clearance and paved road speeds of up to 95 mph.

The Ripsaw is a unique development for military applications that is compact enough to fly in the air and flexible enough to fight alongside infantry squads or command convoys. Driving unmanned into hostile, contested urban areas, the threat is almost everywhere and there is no risk of death.

One tested form is the armed platform, with modest offensive capabilities. The chassis has a flat hull with a track system visible along the sides of the hull, like a traditional tank. Off-road performance is good, handling climbs up to 45 degrees.

A Duramax 6.6L diesel engine is the standard powerplant, producing 750 horsepower.

The Ripsaw series currently includes the original UGV prototype Ripsaw, which has a road speed of 65 mph. Ripsaw MS1 installs a more powerful V8 engine for improved off-road performance. The Ripsaw MS2 became a larger, faster development, designed for heavier use - primarily focused on transporting cargo - with the addition of remote control drive capabilities.

The model also supports the installation of light weapons in the form of a remote-controlled machine gun (medium or heavy) that takes advantage of the self-loading capability of ammunition and fires anti-tank missiles (ATGMs), like in the tried-and-true FGM-148 Javelin. The Ripsaw MS3 is the latest in the series to test Remote Weapon Stations (RWS).

The model was shown to U.S. Army authorities at Fort Benning in October 2013.