Marlborough Communications Limited (MCL) and its technology partner Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have been awarded a contract to deliver demonstrations of their automated ground and air resupply network as part of Project THESEUS, IAI writes in a press release. This contract is the second contract win for MCL and IAI.
Through Project THESEUS the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) aims to investigate the potential to apply autonomy to the ordering, planning, and delivery of supplies as well as the ability to increase the flow and efficiency of delivery on the battlefield. According to IAI, this will see MCL and IAI define and deliver an end-to-end, automated ground and air resupply network, which is enabled by a logistics information system and operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in all conditions. The capability is to be facilitated by land and air robotic and autonomous systems, a mission planner, battlespace management applications and logistics information system to provide tactical last-mile resupply to dismounted forces.
The resupply network will incorporate the REX MK-2 uncrewed ground vehicles to provide means of autonomous delivery, as well as uncrewed aerial vehicles and a mission management command control system with autonomous decision-making capability. The solution will also be tasked through a human-portable user interface system, enabling operator intervention if required. The two companies will also have to deliver improvements to the system throughout the contract, with the improvements and final demonstration.
