Anduril and Hanwha to partner on Army's equipment transport vehicle

Anduril Industries and Hanwha Defense will partner for the second increment of the Army's unmanned Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport vehicle (S-MET), according to a company press release.

“By combining Anduril’s mission software integration expertise with Hanwha’s proven hardware platform and Forterra’s mature autonomy stack, the partnership will deliver a differentiated UGV designed to bring capability far beyond equipment transport to a range of missions,” the release reads.

Serving as the prime contractor, Anduril will submit an unmanned vehicle based on Hanwha’s Arion wheeled robotic vehicle. In January, the Marine Corps and Army conducted Foreign Comparative Tests on the Anrion in Hawaii.

Based in the U.S., Anduril specializes in autonomous systems while South Korea-based Hanwha specializes in unmanned combat systems. Forterra, a Maryland-based autonomous vehicle company, also joins the bid.

“Equipped with significant load-carrying and power generation capacity, as well as a modular architecture that ensures the vehicle can integrate and power a vast range of payloads, the new, upgraded vehicle brings both advanced capability and a reduced sustainment burden to dismounted infantry operations,” the release adds.

Designed to support a nine-soldier dismounted infantry unit without resupply, the S-MET is an unmanned robotic vehicle that can carry up to 1,000-pound payloads of equipment. The vehicle has exportable power, can operate on batteries for up to 72 hours and can drive in silent mode for up to 20 miles.

The Army conducted tests for the first increment of the program in 2019 before awarding a $249 million contract for General Dynamics Land Systems’ Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT) in July 2020.

In December 2023, the Army conducted low-velocity airdrop tests on the MUTT.

The Army is also currently prototyping the Robotic Combat Vehicle, a vehicle designed to carry lethal payloads and accompany infantry units in combat environments.