Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is excited to unveil the Rex MK II, the newest unmanned land platform, intended to keep troops out of harms way in complex circumstances. The Rex MK II, already sold to customers worldwide, is an unmanned land vehicle adapted to a range of ground missions with advanced maneuverability and ability to carry a load of 1.3 tons. The new hybrid electric platform, all-wheel drive, supports combat forces in gathering intelligence, providing logistical support, and helps execute remote attacks. The vehicle is land-based, autonomous with command-and-control capabilities, or by a single operator through wireless communication. The system will be presented at the DSEI exhibition in London.
Zvika Yarom, GM Land Division of IAI, said: “The need to support ground forces in the field to carry out various missions while minimizing threats to soldiers’ lives is at the heart of our values here at Israel Aerospace Industries. This system is based on harnessing our decades long experience with UAVs, to implement in the world of land vehicles. IAI’s unmanned land platforms are in use operating along Israel’s borders and in different fighting units as well as in other locations around the world. We are experiencing a rise in demand from clients for unmanned land platforms.”
The multi-mission Rex MK II is intended to support infantry ground forces in various stages of fighting. This includes providing logistical assistance to troops by carrying munition supplies, critical medical equipment, water, and food, as well as evacuating injured personnel on stretchers. The system can also gather intelligence through a situation-awareness system that incorporates electro-optical sensors and radar. The Rex MK II also enables conducting attacks by using remotely controlled weapons systems including a 7.62mm machine gun, a cal 0.50 heavy machine gun, and as a multi-mission multi-purpose platform to support additional missions based on troops needs.
IAI’s Land Division concept is built on three principles: 1. situational awareness, 2. Survivability, and 3. lethality. With the use of advanced technologies, our systems can recognize threats, employ active and passive defence measures, and supports the “sensor-to-shooter loops” in real-time and in an autonomous manner (pressing the trigger by a soldier). IAI’s ELTA group, Israel’s radar and intelligence house, is developing groundbreaking strategic systems such as mission aircraft, national cyber arrays, unmanned and robotic land platforms, UAV defence, homeland security systems and more.
The new Rex MK II joins other operational unmanned platforms developed by IAI including the Jaguar, an unmanned land platform for defending borders, gathering intelligence and carrying out attacks; the RobARC, an operational unmanned platform for uncovering and destroying ground level and subterranean explosive devices; the Robattle – a robotic operational land platform with high maneuverability, carrying out complex missions in difficult conditions, quickly and safely; the RobDozer – an unmanned bulldozer intended to carry out complex military engineering in danger zones.
Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI is Israel’s major aerospace and aviation manufacturer, producing aerial and astronautic systems for both military and civilian usage. It has 15,000 employees as of 2018. IAI is completely state-owned by the government of Israel. Many of these products are specially suited for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) needs, while others are also marketed to foreign militaries. IAI designs, develops, produces and maintains civil aircraft, drones, fighter aircraft, missile, avionics, and space-based systems. Although IAI’s main focus is engineering, aviation and high-tech electronics, it also manufactures military systems for ground and naval forces.
