Lightweight U.S. Army Drone Truck Pulls 24-Ton Military Vehicle

The U.S. Army is advancing its unmanned logistics capabilities, as demonstrated by a recent test where a lightweight unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) successfully towed a heavy military truck.

The unmanned vehicle, weighing around 227 kilograms, managed to tow a Palletized Load System (PLS) heavy transport truck, which has an empty weight of over 24 tons. In addition to towing the massive load, the UGV also carried approximately 454 kilograms of ammunition. This feat showcases a towing capacity exceeding 100 times the vehicle's own weight.

The test was not conducted in a controlled laboratory environment but rather in a realistic setting, involving obstacle traversal to validate the system's performance under actual operational conditions. The PLS truck, manufactured by Oshkosh Defense, has been a mainstay for the U.S. Army in transporting ammunition and supplies since 1993.

This development underscores the U.S. military's strategic push towards utilizing unmanned systems for the "last tactical mile" of supply missions. The goal is to minimize the exposure of soldiers to threats such as enemy drones and artillery fire on the front lines. Companies like AZAK are at the forefront of this innovation, developing modular designs that can be configured with multiple powered wheels to enhance traction and towing capabilities.

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The test was not conducted in a laboratory flat ground, but completed towing across obstacles in a real field, verifying the system's performance in actual environments.