Defence company Thales has unveiled a new large uncrewed vehicle able to transport 10 tonnes of cargo and deliver power to operate remote installations such as a hospital or a radar system.
This draws on the company’s long experience with the Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle and on the mining experience of Newcastle company 3ME Technology.
Called BladeHAUL, this will undergo trials at the Talisman Sabre exercise next year.
Thales Vice President for Land and Guided Weapons and explosive Ordnance Andrew Downes said the experience in Ukraine showed a large number of uncrewed ground vehicles on the frontlines.
“What a platform like this does is ensure that you can support those vehicles to and back from the frontlines. It can carry 10 tonnes. So you can think of resupply and casualty evacuation,” he told reporters the 2026 Land Forces defence expo in Perth.
“It is also a mobile power source.
“What’s great about it is that it has all the cross country mobility of the Bushmaster with all the power from 3ME and a flatbed that you can mount anything you need on. You can literally put a 20 foot shipping container on it with up to 10 tonnes.”
BladeHAUL is made at the Thales plant in Bendigo, Victoria and at 3ME in Newcastle. Power comes from a hybrid diesel and electric system.
It operates autonomously, either navigating independently to a particular location or in follow the leader mode. That will be further developed though a Memorandum of Understanding with Deakin University.
Thales Chief Executive Officer Jeff Connolly said more important that the piece of kit was the collaboration between Thales and 3ME.
“It is about industry collaboration to deliver something that is needed to secure the nation,” he said.
“What you have in front of you is the most energy dense powerplant to take sensors and effectors around the country. It is of course exportable to the world.”
“What it also represents is the result of the confidence the Commonwealth has had in the actual manufacturing capability in Bendigo.”
3ME Technology Chief Executive Officer Justin Bain said this had all come together in the last six months but represented over eight years of hard tech development by 3ME.
“It has our BladeVOLT Gen 2 battery system proven in the underground mining industry, our BladeDRIVE control system, software and hybrid technology through to BladeNET our secure telemetry and EdgetVOLT, the mobile power solution.
“We are looking forward to trial in the new year with Army.”