Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation, recently demonstrated itsTerraMax™ unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) technology for Brigadier General Mark Wise, commanding general of the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL), and others at an event in Pennsylvania. Representatives from MCWL, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Transportation, the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office and other agencies were also in attendance.

Equipped on two Oshkosh Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVR), the TerraMax UGVs conducted representative convoy operations, demonstrating obstacle avoidance and attaining speeds of 35 miles per hour. The event followed MCWL’s successful Enhanced MAGTF Operations (EMO) Limited Objective Experiment (LOE) 2.2, in which the TerraMax system and other technologies under development for future missions were evaluated with a focus on defining tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to successfully employ unmanned ground systems and logistic demand reduction technologies.

“This demonstration offered government leaders and representatives an opportunity to experience firsthand the advanced level of sophistication and capabilities of our TerraMax UGV technology. Two unmanned MTVRs – supervised by a single operator – executed multiple 30-minute missions on a rugged off-road course in very dusty conditions,” said John Beck, Chief Unmanned Systems Engineer for Oshkosh Corporation.

The Oshkosh TerraMax UGV technology is designed as a scalable kit that can be tightly integrated on current production vehicles, including those built by other manufacturers, or retrofitted on legacy vehicles. Vehicles equipped with the TerraMax UGV technology are able to complete planned missions in full autonomous mode or by “shadowing” a leader vehicle. They can also maintain prescribed convoy following distance, function in all weather conditions and operating environments, retain their original payload and performance capabilities, and require minimal human interaction or operator training.

Through the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise Robotics Technology Consortium, Oshkosh Defense and the National Robotics Engineering Center worked closely with MCWL and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division to develop and integrate the TerraMax UGV technology for the Cargo UGV project.

Oshkosh is also transitioning technologies that enable the TerraMax UGV system to active-safety features applicable to manned operation of the military’s tactical wheeled vehicle fleets. Leveraging the mature components of the TerraMax UGV technology, Oshkosh is offering advanced automotive features such as electronic stability control, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, emergency braking assist, and electric power assist steering that can be fielded today to improve fuel economy and operator safety during missions.

Oshkosh is demonstrating the TerraMax UGV technology at the ongoing AUSA 2012 (22-24 October 2012, Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC).