The Singaporean company displayed a 2.9m-long 8x8 example of the Jaeger (German for ‘hunter’ or ‘infantryman’) at the Singapore Air Show, although a 2.4m-long 6x6 configuration will also be available. These chassis result in a low ground pressure and high mobility.
The Jaeger is based on a commercially available skid-steer chassis, although the company declined to name the supplier.
ST Kinetics converted it to operate on lithium ion batteries that give an endurance of four hours. This endurance can be extended to 24 hours with on-board electrical generator charging.
Electric power ensures silent operation, and gives a top speed of 16km/h when the vehicle is fully loaded.
The Jaeger can operate in two distinct modes: tele-operation and semi-autonomous navigation. It employs an obstacle avoidance system with a laser mounted on the front of the vehicle, and a GPS unit is also fitted. A future application may be a 'follow-me' mode.
The UGV is operated via an operator control unit described as ‘intuitive and easy to use’. Its line-of-sight range is approximately 1km, while a smaller Android version of the unit is also available.
Tan Kat Chui, principal engineer at Kinetics Advanced Robotics, told Shephard that his team is now integrating a remote-control weapon station (RWS) onto the UGV. This is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun, which he described as a suitable fit for a platform the size of the Jaeger.
No live-firing with the RWS has yet occurred, but it is scheduled for later this year
ST Kinetics lists a range of Jaeger variants that place modular payloads on a standard chassis. The 8x8 chassis with 680kg payload capacity can support a weaponised Jaeger with RWS (pictured above) or a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile system.
The 6x6 chassis with 250kg payload capacity, meanwhile, can accommodate a logistics carrier, communications relay, ambulance (two-stretcher capacity) and security patrol with reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) payload.
ST Kinetics continues to work on the Jaeger prototype. Tan said civil applications are also possible, giving the example of fire-fighting.
(Shephard)
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