Milrem Robotics recently delivered two of its THeMIS UGVs to the Robot and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Unit of the 13th Light Brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army.

The robots were delivered for the Army's Concept Development and Experimentation Project, which examines how to take advantage of the possibilities new unmanned platforms provide for increasing combat power and decreasing risk to soldiers.

The THeMIS UGVs were delivered in transport configuration together with initial spare parts and accessories. Milrem will also provide operator and maintenance training, tactical deployment know-how and life cycle support and upgrades during a two-year period.

“We are extremely proud to have the THeMIS in operation with the Royal Netherlands Army,” says Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.

“Rigorous tests and combat exercises held in Europe, US and the Middle-East have proven that the THeMIS is an effective tool for dismounted troops and we have no doubt the Dutch Army will be more than satisfied.”

Soon after being delivered, the THeMIS UGVs were put to the test in the Scottish landscape, during an exercise where the RAS used UGVs for the first time.

“The THeMIS played a major role in the supply chain,” says Lieutenant Colonel Jules den Ouden, commander of the RAS unit. “Why would we need to go get ammo and set ourselves up as targets when the THeMIS can bring it to us?”

Previously, the THeMIS had been deployed in several military exercises, including Last Mile and Army Warfighting Experiment 2018 in the UK. One THeMIS UGV was also recently deployed in Mali together with soldiers from the Estonian Defence Forces.