This New Autonomous Military Vehicle Comes With Its Own Multicopter Drone

On November 16, Elbit Systems and Roboteam, an Israeli defence company, announced the launch of the ‘ROOK,’ a new multi-payload 6×6 Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) for military use.

The ROOK UGV was developed using operational experience gained from the deployment of 4×4 PROBOT UGV systems in the United States, France, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

The ROOK is fully autonomous and capable of navigating rough terrain at all hours of the day and night to “deliver supplies, evacuate casualties, perform intelligence gathering missions (including by dispatching on-board VTOLs), and operate as a remote weapon system.” 

This new vehicle was created as a robotic UGV platform in compliance with applicable Military Standards, with a Modular Box structure that allows on-field component replacement as well as modification without the need for technician or OEM lab maintenance. Additionally, thanks to a built-in TORCH-X Robotic and Autonomous (RAS) application, ROOK has full autonomy and the ability to navigate rough terrain efficiently to deliver supplies, evacuate casualties, conduct intelligence gathering missions, and operate as a remote weapon system.

It can be controlled remotely in real-time using a weatherproof, durable 7-inch portable display unit. ROOK is powered by a modular hybrid energy battery system and an optional internal generator, giving the vehicle an operational endurance of up to 8 drive hours and a top speed of 18 mph (30 km/h).

ROOK can carry up to 1200kg of payloads while maintaining superior manoeuvrability and transferability, thanks to its 1200kg self-weight, low centre of gravity, and 24cm ground clearance. As a result, ROOK becomes a multi-payload platform with full compliance with the UGV Interoperability Profile (IOP), allowing users to plug and play payload integration seamlessly.

Elbit and Roboteam photos show the Rook vehicle conducting tasks such as accompanying soldiers, carrying electro-optic payloads, and transporting a wounded soldier. It can also carry a mounted gun and equipment, as well as a quadcopter drone.