Soldiers from the Australian Army’s Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG) Pilbara Regiment are trialling an uncrewed robot. Army’s 13th Engineer Regiment has trialed Ground Uncrewed System, known as GUS under a variety of conditions, including deployment on Exercise Talisman Sabre in 2023. Australian Army and industry partner Outlook Industries have worked together to develop GUS. Research and development is taking place in the Victorian town of Yinnar. The use of locally sourced materials and creation of new jobs has brought a welcome economic boost to the Gippsland community.
Director-General Future Land Warfare, Brigadier James Davis said,“The Australian Army is committed to developing capabilities that exploit new and emerging technologies. Placing this equipment in the hands of the end users such as RFSG allows us to ‘learn by. Working with sovereign industry unlocks novel ideas and strengthens Australia’s industrial base. Project GUS demonstrates what can be achieved locally.”
The Ground Uncrewed System (GUS) is an Australian-developed surveillance robot. GUS is equipped with cameras and sensors capable of providing persistent surveillance for more than 30 continuous days using battery power. An on-board liquid fuel generator recharges the battery when it is low to extend GUS’s mission endurance even further. GUS can detect moving objects and can then transmit this information to a remote operator. GUS has potential to remove soldiers from harsh environmental conditions and expand the surveillance area.
The Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG) was formally established on 4 October 2018 to command the Australian Army Reserve’s three Regional Force Surveillance Units and a training unit. The RFSG forms part of the 2nd Division. The RFSG is tasked “to provide a littoral surveillance and reconnaissance capability in Australia’s north and northwest in order to support whole-of-government efforts to maintain national sovereignty and border security”. The Pilbara Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Australian Army Reserve and is one of three Regional Force Surveillance Units employed in surveillance and reconnaissance of the remote areas of northern Australia.
