Robotic vehicle can lighten soldiers’ loads for long duration patrols

A new remote-controlled vehicle designed by HDT Global could reduce the heavy loads carried by soldiers on the battlefield.

The Hunter Wolf was designed as part of an Army program called Squad Mission Equipment Transport, or SMET. It’s remote controlled and operated using a small joystick that follows troops on patrol, according Rob Hodges, vice president of Army programs for HDT Global.

The vehicle can drive up to 60 miles over a 72-hour period. However, during an Army assessment last month at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Hunter Wolf drove 60 miles in 40 hours, Hodges said.

The Hunter Wolf is capable of carrying 1,000 lbs of equipment in support of a squad-sized element.

The vehicle is a hybrid and boasts a 20-gallon fuel tank.

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HDT Global plans to make the vehicle full tele-operational in the future, meaning the vehicle can be operated by a soldier in the rear and not actively on patrol, Hodges said.

The Hunter Wolf is the latest iteration of potential Army robotic vehicles designed to reduce loads and support U.S. troops on the battlefield.

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