Rheinmetall and Milrem Robotics have deployed the Rapid Obscuring System (ROSY) smoke screen launcher on the unmanned vehicle THeMIS, for the first time.

The ROSY was integrated onto the THeMIS Combat unmanned ground vehicle and deployed by Latvian Armed Forces soldiers during the second demonstration of the European EDIDP project Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS).

The THeMIS Combat UGVs provide direct fire support for manoeuvre forces and act as a force multiplier,” explained Cpt (res) Jüri Pajuste, Defence Research and Development Director at Milrem Robotics. “Enhancing them with a smoke screen launcher adds another capability that protects units against unexpected attacks. Additionally, the smoke screen disrupts the view of the thermal sensors, which makes it more difficult to detect troops by the adversary.”

Smoke protection systems make perfect sense on unmanned platforms" says Johannes Maltan, Head of Product Management Soft Kill Protection - Army Projects. "With relatively little effort, even expensive systems can be better protected. As we have seen in tests, the smoke protection systems increase the survivability of these platforms and thus contribute to mission success. Furthermore, UGVs equipped with ROSY are able to conduct tactical screening in the front line. Thus, they also contribute to the protection of deployed soldiers."

THeMIS Combat UGVs, with an integrated self-stabilizsing remote-controlled weapon system, provide high precision over wide areas, day, and night, increasing stand-off distance, force protection and survivability. THeMIS Combat UGVs can be equipped with light or heavy machine guns, 40 mm grenade launchers, 3 0mm autocannons and Anti-Tank Missile Systems.

The 40mm ROSY smoke protection system offers light military and civilian vehicles protection during patrols or when travelling in convoys. ROSY can generate dynamic smoke screens as well as spontaneous, large-area and multispectral interruption of the line of sight (LOS). Its multi-mission capability represents a sure defence against stream and wave attacks.

Due to its integrated IR jamming and decoying capabilities, ROSY effectively counters all TV-, EO-, IR-, IIR-, laser- and SACLOS-guided weapons.