(Photo: Oshkosh Defense)
Oshkosh Defense and the U.S. Navy are expanding a contract to develop unmanned military vehicles. John Beck, chief engineer for unmanned systems with Oshkosh Defense, said the firm has been working with the Marine Corps for several years to create technology that lets one person remotely operate several vehicles in a convoy. Beck he said the new contract would add mine-sweeping equipment and ground-penetrating radar to those vehicles.
Oshkosh Defense is working with the Office of Naval Research to produce an unmanned vehicle for use by Marines Corps supply-line convoys. Ground-penetrating radar and other mine detection systems are being incorporated to counter the threat of roadside bombs
That could lead to future orders for the company, if the military wants to produce them, in the future. Beck said he’s not sure how long it will take before the military decides whether to move the program to that stage.