Estonia-based, Milrem Robotics (Milrem) produces military & commercial (teleoperated) unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). On the military side, it offers a) “Themis”, it’s (hybrid-powered) “base platform” (1.6ton weight, 750kg payload, 20km/h max speed, 15h runtime) which can be used for logistics (carrying supplies & equipment), combat (direct & indirect fire support – light or heavy machine guns, 40mm grenade launchers, 30mm autocannons & anti-tank missile systems), as well as intelligence, surveillance & target acquisition (ISR) (drones, sensors – radar, rf detector, jammer, lasers), b) “Type-X”, basically a beefed up version of “Themis” (12ton weight, 4.1ton payload, 80km/h max speed, runtime not disclosed), mainly for combat e.g. as a wingman/ direct or indirect support to main battle tanks (if fitted with 25-50 mm autocannons or anti-tank wareheads/ loitering munition systems respectively). On the commercial side, Milrem offers c) “Multiscope” (same specs as “Themis”), which can be used for fire & rescue (e.g. if fitted with a hose), as well as forest mgmt (planting, cleaning, pre-commercial thinning). Beyond UGV’s, Milrem Robotics also sells the “Milrem Intelligent Function Integration Kit”; essentially its hardware & software brick to teleoperate other vehicles. Finally, the firm offers (NATO standard) concept development & experimentation support for robotics & autonomics systems (RAS CD&E) across use cases (see graphic below). Milrem was founded in 2013 by Kuldar Väärsi (CEO) & employs approx. 200 people in Estonia, Nordics, the Netherlands & US. The majority stake (in Milrem) – acquired by EDGE Group (UAE state-owned defense contractor) – is “the largest foreign investment in Estonia’s growing defense industry”. This transaction is said to align with the UAEs Operation 300bn, which seeks to increase the contribution of local industrial sector from $36bn in 2021 to $82bn by 2031 [ps: unclear for now, is how the acquisition will affect Milrem as the coordinating company in the EU’s “Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System” (iMUGS) & being involved with the “Combat Unmanned Ground System” (CUGS) development project, both under the “Permanent Structured Corporation” (PESCO)]. <Source: spartanat.com, esut.de, army-technology.com, thenationalnews.com, defenceconnect.com.au, breakingdefense.com, edrmagazine.eu, ain.capital>
