As the battlefield advances with each passing conflict, the use of unmanned vehicles in the air, on land, and in the sea expands. Textron Systems has unveiled its latest RIPSAW evolution, the "RIPSAW M5" - and unmanned tank for future warfare, a multi-mission development with versatility and future growth in mind. The vehicle was revealed at Eurosatory 2022 announcing availability to the international market.
Looking very much the part of an Inter-War light tank design, the M5 promises enhanced mobility combined with modularity and lethality all the while not risking crew to direct Line-of-Sight (LoS) fire. The tank utilizes a three-bogie, six-wheeled track-and-wheel arrangement for traversing cross-country and paved roads with equal efficiency. As the design is inherently modular, the chassis / hull can accept various mission-oriented components including a 360-degree, fully-traversing powered turret.
Available turrets can field a medium-class anti-armor automatic cannon, "Javelin" Anti-Tank, Guided-Missile (ATGM) launcher, or air defense automatic cannon depending on mission requirement. Even with this structure in place, the vehicle retains a light and compact profile making it air-, rail-, and truck-transportable. Beyond this, the hull supports various other battlefield attachments including route-clearing, breaching, mine plow, and radar.
The tank comes in a light-class and medium-class form, weighing 7.5 tons and 10.5 tons, respectively. The light chassis can reach speeds of 45 miles-per-hour on paced surfaces and carry a payload of up to 3,000lb. Comparatively, the medium chassis has a road speed maximum of 40 mph with an 8,000lb payload capacity.
The onboard powerpack (of diesel-hybrid electric design) allows the vehicle to keep pace with the main fighting force, acting as a sort of wingman to front line units entering contested areas. A proven interface with wireless connection allows communication from the drone to operators. The armor scheme is modular to deal with evolving threats.
The SUMIT 360 optics set houses Electro-Optical (EO) and InfraRed (IR) vision devices in a 360-degree turret for maximizing situational awareness. This is coupled with the 280HD component to clearly identify threats-at-range, reducing collateral damage. To further the tactical value of the system, the M5 houses, deploys and collects the small Teledyne FLIR SUGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) unit - a compact, tracked electrically driven camera-equipped "tankette". This tankette is given 1,000 meters of range from the launch vehicle and can use in more confined spaces, also clearing the path for the mothership unit by reconnoitering the terrain ahead.
Power & Performance Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Textron RIPSAW M5 (LIGHT) Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV).
1 x Diesel-Electric hybrid powertrain driving conventional track-and-wheel arrangement. Installed Power
45 mph 72 kph Road Speed
Structure The physical qualities of the Textron RIPSAW M5 (LIGHT) Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV).
0 (UNMANNED) Crew
15.6 ft 4.75 meters O/A Length
8.0 ft 2.44 meters O/A Width
5.0 ft 1.51 meters O/A Height
16,535 lb 7,500 kg | 8.3 tons Weight
Armament & Ammunition Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Textron Systems RIPSAW M5 Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV).
Variable: mission set includes anti-aircraft / anti-tank automatic cannon and Anti-Tank, Guided-Missile (ATGM) launcher (Javelin-class).
AMMUNITION: Dependent upon armament fit.
Variants Notable series variants as part of the Textron Systems RIPSAW M5 family line.
RIPSAW M5 - Base Series Designation.
M5 LIGHT - 7.5 ton combat weight; compact dimensions; 45 mph road speeds; 3,000lb payload capacity.
M5 MEDIUM - 10.5 ton combat weight; enlarged dimensions; 40mph road speeds; 8,000lb payload capacity.
Operators Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Textron Systems RIPSAW M5. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.
Total Production: 5 Units Contractor(s): Textron Systems - USA
[ United States (possible) ]
1 / 1
Image from official Textron Systems marketing materials.
Going Further... The Textron Systems RIPSAW M5 Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) appears in the following collections:
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.
