QinetiQ, Milrem unveil new ground robot.

A new unmanned ground vehicle could provide relief to soldiers by reducing some of the weight many have to carry during missions, one company executive said.

The modular, hybrid system--known as Titan--was unveiled during the Association of the United States Army's annual conference in Washington, D.C., said Kuldar Vaarsi, the CEO of Milrem, an Estonian company.

"The purpose is to support the squad," he said. "It can carry the rucksacks, the water, the ammunition, whatever the squad is carrying."

Removing some weight from a soldier's load--which can sometimes exceed 100 pounds when on patrol--allows for troops to move faster and farther, he said.

Milrem partnered with QinetiQ to produce the system. The vehicle is based off Milrem's tracked hybrid modular infantry system, and QinetiQ provided the vehicle's robotic control technology, he said.

The company plans to enter the vehicle into the U.S. Army's forthcoming squad multipurpose equipment transport program competition, Vaarsi said.

During a recent industry conference, the Army announced that it would be putting the program on an accelerated acquisition path. The service plans to focus on the development of one robot that can carry 1,000 pounds, as opposed to a family of...