Germany will transfer 14 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles to Ukraine

Milrem Robotics, in cooperation with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, will deliver 14 THeMIS UGVs to Ukraine.

This was announced on the website of the Estonian company.

Unmanned ground vehicles are designed to transport the wounded and clear traffic routes.

Milrem Robotics, Estonia-based robotics and autonomous systems developer, and German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) signed a contract to supply Ukraine with 14 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs).

Of the 14 vehicles, 7 will be configured for casualty evacuation and are scheduled to be delivered to Ukraine by the end of this year.

The other seven are planned to be delivered in the second quarter of 2023 and to be used for road cleaning. They will be configured for route clearance with equipment from the French defense manufacturer CNIM Systèmes Industriels.

The purchase of ground drones is financed by the German Ministry of Defense.

“Casualty evacuation and route clearance are two labor-intensive activities that require the engagement of several people who remain in constant threat of enemy fire. Automating these tasks by these unmanned vehicles alleviates that danger and allows more soldiers to stay in a safe area or be tasked with more important activities,” explained Jüri Pajuste, Defence R&D Director at Milrem Robotics.

The company noted that Milrem Robotics has already delivered one CASEVAC THeMIS to a Ukrainian charitable organization earlier this year, and it has proven to be a valuable asset.

The THeMIS UGV by Milrem Robotics is a multi-mission tracked vehicle that can be equipped with a variety of systems. It has cameras that allow you to check dangerous areas and not once again expose the military to danger. Previously, the German company KMW acquired a share in the Estonian manufacturer of UGVs Milrem Robotics in 2021.

THeMIS is remotely controlled. It can be programmed to move independently between different points. According to the developer, the speed of the UGV is 25 km/h.

The vehicle has compact dimensions – the length is 240 cm, the width is 200 cm, and the height is 115 cm. With a curb weight of 1635 kg, it has a nominal load capacity of 750 kg and a maximum load capacity of 1200 kg. The declared time of autonomous operation is up to 15 hours, and exclusively on the electric drive – up to 1.5 hours. Either lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries can be used as the power source for this equipment can.