The Arion-SMET is a two-ton unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed to support infantry operations.

Its tasks include close combat support, remote-controlled or autonomous reconnaissance and surveillance, medical evacuation of wounded personnel and the transportation of ammunition and weaponry.

Its name stands for Autonomous and Robotic systems for Intelligence Off-road Navigation – Small Multi-purpose Equipment Transport.

The six-wheeled vehicle can travel 22km per hour on unpaved roads and 43km per hour on paved roads and boasts a payload capacity of 550kg. It is battery operated and capable of traversing more than 100km in a single charge.

The vehicle's autonomous off-road navigation and deep neural network-based remote-controlled weapon station allows the Arion-SMET to navigate solo while detecting and tracking adversary forces.

It can locate the source of gunfire and employ its 5.56mm machine gun to return fire.

Supports manned and unmanned teaming

The Arion-SMET is optimized to support manned and unmanned teaming operations, which pair autonomous and manned vehicles to penetrate deep into adversary defenses, conduct surveillance and reconnaissance, and neutralize threats.

It employs tethering technology to follow soldiers and vehicles across the field. The UGV has autonomous homing in case of communication failures, allowing it to finish its mission or return to forces even when communication channels have been interrupted.

The Arion-SMET is undergoing field testing with the US Marine Corps and US Army.

Last December, a series of successful tests saw Marines practice operating the vehicle in austere conditions, including across a turf-covered sand beach, soft sand and sand clay, as well as run-down roads.

The tests demonstrated the vehicle's ability to transport heavy equipment and to follow forces, both tethered and untethered.