Unmanned Ground
Combat Vehicle



Description



Extreme terrainability

As prime contractor, NREC managed the performance of over 30 trade studies, risk reduction activities, subsystem design and test activities. NREC also led all integration and assembly operations, and executed all performance testing. Additionally, NREC was responsible for many subsystems, including thermal management, prime power, ride height control, braking, safety, command station, OCU, communications, and teleoperation. Moreover, NREC developed all the vehicle positioning, automation, data gathering and data analysis systems that were used on a continuous basis to test the vehicle.

Following design, fabrication and assembly, Spinner completed two years of intense testing to assess its capability in a variety of terrains, weather conditions, and operational scenarios. For example, during a government-controlled field test at the Yuma, Arizona Proving Grounds, Spinner covered nearly 100 miles of very rough off-road terrain.

Overall, Spinner has traveled hundreds of miles on varied off-road terrains while under automated guidance, as well as under direct human control. Results continue to indicate that many of the technologies and approaches used in Spinner are viable options for UGVs in the future.