“Arion-SMET by Hanwha Triumphs in Groundbreaking Test with U.S. Military”
Hanwha’s versatile unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), the Arion-SMET, has successfully finished a week-long field assessment conducted by the US Marine Corps and US Army. This achievement represents a pivotal milestone for the robotic unit, positioning it as a potential player in the worldwide UGV industry.
The field assessments were conducted as part of the Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) managed by the US Marine Corps Systems Command. Delegates from III Marine Expeditionary Force (III-MEF) and Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) also participated in the evaluation held in Marine Corps Training Area Bellows (MCTAB), situated on the eastern edge of Oahu, Hawaii, from December 14-22, 2023.
This signifies the inaugural occurrence of a South Korean UGV being involved in the US Department of Defense FCT, a program aimed at reviewing, assessing, and verifying innovative technologies produced by defense contractors from US allies, with the goal of boosting the defense capabilities of the US military.
Prior to the official FCT, a contingent of Marines underwent three days of user training sessions to operate the 2-ton electric robotic unit on challenging terrains, including turf-covered packed sand beach courses, soft sand, sand clay, and rugged, rutted roads. The evaluations concentrated on assessing the vehicle’s diverse mission capabilities, including heavy equipment transport, remote-controlled driving, waypoint navigation, exploratory maneuvering, following soldiers, and physical tether tracking.
Youngwoo Seo, Executive Vice President of Hanwha Aerospace’s Land Systems Business Group, conveyed his assurance in the Arion-SMET’s sophisticated hardware and software, highlighting the international attention the UGV is garnering.
“Arion-SMET’s involvement in the US FCT program serves as evidence of its prospective success, positioning it as a formidable contender in the UGV markets of the US and other nations in the future,” remarked Dr. Seo.
In the meantime, Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), the American defense affiliate of Hanwha Aerospace, is gearing up to contend for the second increment of the US Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) initiative, termed the S-MET Increment II.
John Kelly, President and CEO of HDUSA, stated, “HDUSA is keen on the S-MET Increment II and is forming partnerships with US prime contractors and suppliers to vie for the unmanned ground vehicle competition.”
The Arion-SMET, which stands for Autonomous and Robotic Systems for Intelligence Off-road Navigation – SMET, represents one of the most advanced UGVs from the perspective of fully integrating HAEMOS (Hanwha Aerospace’s solutions for robotic and autonomous systems) with a 6X6 fully electric unmanned vehicle for supporting infantry operations, including ammunition transport, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and close combat assistance.
With a maximum payload capacity of 550kg (1200 lb), the UGV can traverse up to 100km (62 mi) on a single charge, boasting a top speed of 43km/h (26.7 mi/h) on paved surfaces, and 22km/h (13.6 mi/h) on unpaved paths. Additionally, the Arion-SMET can be outfitted with a cutting-edge Remote-Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) capable of autonomously tracking and targeting threats through gunfire source localization, featuring a 5.56mm RCWS that can be expanded to a 7.62mm machine gun.
The Arion-SMET can be utilized in several modes, including remote-controlled driving, autonomous off-road navigation, exploratory maneuvering, physical tether tracking, and following soldiers and vehicles.
