ShareBy Faten Omar
KUWAIT: The US Army Central tested three autonomous vehicles during sustainment operations in Kuwait at Udairi Range, Camp Buehring, on Tuesday. On the sidelines of the event, on behalf of the Kuwait Land Force, Colonel Fahad Buresli praised in a statement the depth of the defense and security cooperation relations between the two countries. Buresli lauded the cooperation between the Kuwaiti and US army forces, which are represented by autonomous vehicle demonstrations, adding, “The US Army Central is always keen to present the latest developments and innovations in armaments and mechanisms that carry wheeled equipment, which the US side seeks to introduce in service for the year 2026.”
He added that the latest autonomous vehicles operate through a new system, pointing out that the test, the first of its kind on Kuwaiti land, reflects the extent of cooperation between the armies of the two countries and is an opportunity for more joint training and cooperation in concluding deals in the future. Lt Gen Patrick Frank, commanding general of the United States Army Central, indicated that the Army Central is testing three autonomous vehicles and will later receive seven more trucks that can drive without a human driver.
He stressed that the autonomous vehicles would reduce the number of soldiers exposed to threats on the battlefield while increasing the capabilities of units and organizations, noting that “These autonomous vehicles will help keep Americans, our partners, and allies safer and more effective. Autonomous vehicles are the future of Army sustainment operations, and so we are rigorously testing this new technology in Kuwait to test its capabilities and performance.” “We will continue to develop these vehicles and the autonomous systems.
Since interoperability is a prerequisite for any new technology, we are concentrating on testing new technologies alongside the Kuwait Ministry of Defense and all of our regional partners,” he added. Capt Nathan Amos, logistic officer of US Army Central, revealed that this is the first time they are testing this technology in Kuwait, pointing out that they aim to secure and protect soldiers who are considered the most important assists in their operational environment, in addition to using innovative efforts to expand logistical capabilities in the region and protect US allies.
These autonomous systems are installed on Palletized Load Systems, or PLSs, which are ten-wheeled vehicles optimized to transport palletized loads in support of Army sustainment operations. Autonomous systems are designed to work semi-autonomously with direction and input. The purpose of this testing is to gather as much data as possible about the capabilities and limitations of semi-autonomous vehicles in the challenging desert environment.
The vehicles were previously tested at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and in the US European Command region. The vehicle operators are army transportation specialists who have been trained since late June 2023. Semi-autonomous vehicles are the future of army sustainment operations. They reduce the risks by decreasing the number of operators exposed to threats while increasing the capability of sustainment units.
