Land vehicles

Ripsaw M3: The new uncrewed robotic vehicle leading the way in new technology

Watch: Ripsaw M3, the robotic vehicle making its way onto the battlefield

This is the Ripsaw M3 – the latest incarnation of a US-developed robotic tracked vehicle, designed, its makers say, to have the durability of an anvil and to be the pinnacle of high-performance tracked innovation.

The platform features what is known as open system architecture, meaning you can easily switch the roles it plays with seamless integration of future payloads, controllers and autonomous suites.

The one in the video is a surveillance configuration allowing something robotic that's rough and tough to take all the risks – adding another crucial layer of protection to troops as they encounter the unpredictable on the battlefield.

But many other configurations are undergoing testing for US forces in what is known as the competitive Robotic Combat Vehicle Phase I: Platform Prototype programme.

Textron Systems, its subsidiary, Howe & Howe and Teledyne FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) Defence have delivered two systems to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland.

The platform's top speed is 30mph, its range is more than 180 miles, and its payload is two-and-a-half tonnes on a 63 sq ft deck area.

The system can also fit neatly into a Chinook helicopter.

Its makers have spent years designing what they call a mission-ready system to support the Army's needs, so watch out – it could be coming to a battlefield near you.