ARMAMENTS

Having spent almost eight months in Cyprus, the 2nd Yorkshire Battalion is being trained at the British Bases with new equipment, but also with National Guard personnel. The latter will travel to Wales in October for the “Cambian Patrol 2021” military competition.

In the morning, the British Bases welcomed media from England and Cyprus, where they presented new equipment with which members of the battalion are trained. Such equipment are the state-of-the-art night vision sights for the British rifle SA80A3.

British rifle SA80A3.

Also, a new electronic portable system for soldiers was introduced, which provides real-time information about their position, the position of friendly and enemy forces, digital maps, targets, messages, etc.

Finally, the new ground robotic systems of the robotic vehicle squadron, which can move either with the use of a remote control or follow their operator, were presented. These belong to the “Mission Master” family of unmanned ground vehicles built for the British Army, following a joint venture of the German Rheinmetall Defence and the British BAE Systems Land. The British Army procured four (4) of these systems in August 2021 and is expected to receive more by 2021. 

The said purchase is part of the British Army’s effort to develop the “Robotic Platoon Vehicle” program, which provides for the introduction of ground-based robotic combat systems in the operations of the armed forces.

The Mission Master vehicle family is based on Rheinmetall PATH autonomy kit (A-kit), which allows military vehicles to operate in unmanned mode even in difficult and hostile terrain and in adverse weather conditions. 

This artificial intelligence (AI) technology allows Mission Master vehicles to detect and track objects in the surrounding area, to map and analyze the terrain, to plan safe routes and much more. PATH, according to the manufacturer, is a technology that keeps soldiers safe while making their operability more effective.

The specific vehicle family consists of reconnaissance, rescue, fire support and cargo vehicles. 

According to Major Henry Bowden, the 580-strong battalion has been in Cyprus since last November guarding the region, which can take action if needed anywhere in the Middle East or Africa. The battalion, which was again in Cyprus between 2013 and 2015, is expected to return to the UK in the summer of 2021.

Video from the exercises with the Mission Master family vehicles in Cyprus. 

Until then, he continued, the soldiers are being trained in new systems and equipment, while carrying out joint exercises with members of the National Guard and the Cyprus Police, added Major Bowden.

He noted that the joint exercises with the members of the National Guard will be intensified, as they will participate in the upcoming military competition “Cambian Patrol 2021” to be held in October in Wales.

Also read: Mission Master | Rheinmetall unmanned vehicles change the rules of the game – VIDEO