BAE Systems Australia’s automated turret system for ATLAS CCV autonomous combat vehicle has been test fired. The Vantage Automated Turret System (ATS) firing accuracy demonstrated tight groupings and target engagement out to initial ranges of 750 metres.
“We’ve come away from this test firing knowing that the VANTAGE ATS fires accurately and performs exceedingly well, demonstrating excellent performance, offering our customers the ability to integrate VANTAGE with a range of crewed and uncrewed platforms, and offering a lower acquisition cost through the adaptive reuse of legacy cannons already in service," Director of Integrated Defence and Autonomy Systems at BAE Systems Australia, Kisa Christensen, said.
Following its global debut at the Land Forces 2024 exhibition, ATLAS CCV has been marketed to armies to perform the high-risk ‘dirty and dangerous’ tasks normally undertaken by manned armoured vehicles such as direct fire support, obstacle clearance, combat reconnaissance and very short-range air defence.
Vantage ATS was developed by BAE Systems Australia together with Valhalla Turrets of Slovenia. It is optimised for operation on autonomous vehicles, with alleged high levels of automatic operation to reflect the levels of autonomy in advanced platforms such as the ATLAS CCV.
The turret will return from Slovenia to Australia for re-integration with ATLAS CCV to enable further vehicle dynamic testing and sub-system integration, working towards an increased level of automated capability and operation.
The Vantage ATS is a medium calibre turret, which was designed to be controlled over a wireless link. It possesses a 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun, which allows re-use of the in-service cannons from ALSAV and Bradley IFV, with a turret architecture that is scalable to larger calibre systems. It also has BAE Systems Australia's passive Multi-Spectral Automatic Target Detection, Tracking and Classification System (ATTCS).