Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, and its subsidiary Howe & Howe, announced today an award from the U.S. Marine Corps for the acquisition of two of the company’s RIPSAW® M3 robotic ground vehicles to the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) in Quantico, Va. The M3 vehicles will serve as experimentation and integration testbeds, providing Marines the opportunity to integrate various payloads and sensors, demonstrate mission sets and inform additional robotics requirements. Leveraging Textron Systems’ more than sixty years of experience in multidomain uncrewed technologies for air, land and sea, the M3 vehicle incorporates modular open systems architecture (MOSA) to provide the warfighter with increased agility and functionality in even the most complex battlefield environments. The vehicle offers more than 5,000 pounds of payload capacity, a flat deck to support a variety of payloads, and operational speeds in excess of 30 miles per hour to support missions in complex terrains across the globe. With more than three million operational hours of uncrewed experience across air, land and sea domains, Textron Systems continues to expand its autonomous technology to support current and future mission sets.
“Textron Systems’ M3 robotic ground vehicles set the bar for speed, agility and multi-mission flexibility,” said Vice President of Programs, Sara Willett. “Pairing the M3’s proven capability and reliability with the MCWL mission to drive future operational concepts and capabilities will enable the Marine Corps to advance uncrewed force design and battlefield utility.”
“For over two decades, Howe and Howe, Inc. has been developing highly capable off-road multi-domain platforms where consideration for extreme use and durability have been paramount design characteristics,” said Senior Vice President, Michael Howe. “The M3 will be a great fit for the Marine Corps and its demanding environmental requirements. Howe and Howe Inc. is not only proud to deliver the RIPSAW® M3 vehicle but also pleased to work closely with the Marine Corps to develop technologies that fit their specific needs well into the future.”
The Ripsaw is a series of developmental unmanned ground combat vehicles designed by Howe & Howe Technologies (now part of Textron Systems) for evaluation by the United States Army. The Howe brothers started the Ripsaw as a small family project in 2000. They introduced it at a Dallas vehicle show in 2001, where it caught the interest of the U.S. Army. Later that year the U.S. military ordered a prototype MS-1 to be made and shipped to Iraq. The M3 is part of Textron Systems’ RIPSAW family of vehicles, designed as a rugged and reliable robotic ground vehicle that leverages a Modular Open System Approach (MOSA) to simplify integration of new payloads, controllers and autonomy suites. The Ripsaw is intended to perform various missions including convoy protection, perimeter defense, surveillance, rescue, border patrol, crowd control, and explosive ordnance disposal. For perimeter defense or crowd control, a belt of M5 crowd control munitions (MCCM) can be mounted around the vehicle to break up crowds or engage personnel with less-lethal flash-bang effects and rubber bullets. Cameras provide 360-degree coverage for situational awareness for the operator.
Textron Systems is a world leader in uncrewed air, surface and land products, services and support founded on the combined expertise in our family of brands that includes Textron Systems, Howe & Howe, Lycoming, and ATAC. Howe & Howe is a leader in advanced robotic land vehicles, built and proven for extreme conditions. With a portfolio that includes leading advanced robotic land vehicles, such as the RIPSAW® M5 and the Thermite® robotic firefighter, the company is ready and able to support customers wherever they need it most. The company harness the unlimited power of teamwork to solve incredible problems across seven specialized domains: air, land, sea, propulsion, weapon systems, electronic systems and test, training & simulation. From product development and manufacturing to training, operations and support, we integrate and offer ingenious and advanced solutions to support defense, aerospace, and other customer missions. Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems.
