Lockheed Martin [LMT] said it has been notified that the Army has issued a stop work order for the Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment (MULE) Common Mobility Platform program.
The Army is canceling the MM-UGV effort consisting of the Common Mobility Platform (CMP) and the Autonomous Navigation System (ANS), a service spokesman said.
“Following the cancellation of Future Combat Systems, the Army continued to invest in promising unmanned robotic vehicle technologies with an expanded focus on providing Soldiers with a Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) capability. MM-UGV was pursued as a pre-Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) as the Army continued developing requirements for this capability,” Paul Mehney, chief, Public Communications, PEO Integration, said. MM-UGV development focused on the Common Mobility Platform (CMP) for an unmanned vehicle providing both a C-IED and lethal capability, as well as an Autonomous Navigation System (ANS) that facilitates wireless navigation.
In conjunction with the 2011 Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) Capability Portfolio Review, the Army confirmed that the MM-UGV “does not meet an immediate operational requirement for the soldier,” Mehney said.
Lockheed Martin said it was disappointed with the decision to stop working on the Common Mobility Platform, “which has consistently met program milestones that at times have been accelerated by the customer.”
Mehney said the unmanned vehicle review made three important findings: “First, in the requirement area of dismounted Soldier equipment transport emphasize an air assault mission–the MM-UGV’s C-IED focus and weight limited the platform’s mobility. Second, the C-IED sensor technology development did not proceed as expected. Third, the Army discerned that commercial navigation technologies out-paced ANS development as part of MM-UGV.”
In its statement, Lockheed Martin said the Common Mobility Platform “raised the bar on unmanned mobility with its unique 6×6 independent articulated suspension and in-hub motors. Its objective was to save warfighter lives by taking care of dangerous tasks and providing unequaled mission flexibility to the soldier.”
After its review of unmanned ground systems, the Army did give the nod to continue Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) activities for the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV), Mehney said. iRobot [IRBT] is developing the SUGV.
Lockheed Martin said it “will continue to apply the MULE’s innovative technology to future systems, and…remains committed to the development of autonomous products to meet our customers’ needs.”
The Army continues to assess unmanned systems requirements against current and future threats to determine the most cost-effective areas for investment, Mehney said.