Estonian robotics company Milrem Robotics and South Korean defence company Hanwha are expanding their cooperation on unmanned ground systems, with the THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicle at the centre of new initiatives in South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Hanwha Aerospace has acquired two THeMIS platforms for separate initiatives in South Korea and Australia, while the cooperation also establishes a framework for broader THeMIS activity in Australia and New Zealand, Milrem Robotics said.
Hanwha acquires two THeMIS platforms
In South Korea, a THeMIS UGV will be used in multiple research and development projects in which Hanwha is participating, contributing to the development and evaluation of advanced unmanned and autonomous ground capabilities.
In Australia and New Zealand, the framework covers the marketing, local production, sale and sustainment of THeMIS. It includes developing an Australian supply chain, building local maintenance and upgrade capabilities and integrating payloads and subsystems to meet the specific requirements of regional customers. Milrem Robotics will contribute localisation planning, technology transfer, technical know-how and engineering expertise.
“Together with Hanwha, we are creating a strong foundation for expanding unmanned and autonomous capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics. “THeMIS provides a proven and highly adaptable unmanned platform, while Hanwha brings significant local industrial capabilities, market knowledge and expertise in the development and support of advanced defence systems. By combining these strengths, we can address regional requirements locally and build the capabilities needed to integrate, produce and sustain these systems in the region.”
MIFIK as an integration option
The cooperation also includes an option to integrate Milrem Robotics’ Intelligent Function Integration Kit, or MIFIK, with Hanwha’s unmanned and manned platforms. MIFIK enables capabilities such as autonomous navigation and mission execution to be added to different types of vehicles.
The new initiatives build on existing work between the two companies. Hanwha Aerospace and Milrem Robotics agreed in July to cooperate on autonomous vehicle opportunities, and are jointly pursuing Romania’s unmanned ground vehicle programme, including opportunities for localised production and industrial participation.
What the two companies bring
Milrem Robotics has offices in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Poland, the USA and the UAE, and bases its systems on ARCOS, a command-and-coordination system for deploying and managing robotic forces. Its THeMIS platform is part of robotics programmes or in operational use in 20 countries, and the company also develops the HAVOC Robotic Combat Vehicle and MIFIK. Milrem Robotics leads the European €55M iMUGS2 programme.
Hanwha Aerospace builds the K9 Self-Propelled Howitzer, the Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launch System, the Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the Arion-SMET unmanned ground vehicle, alongside precision-guided munitions, air defence systems and aircraft engines, according to the company. In July, the Arion-SMET was selected as the final winner of the Republic of Korea’s multi-purpose UGV programme.
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