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Subject:
Remote demolition vehicle.
32degrees
7/31/2008 7:25:57 AM
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I have been reading some information about the Goliath remote controlled demolition vehicle that was used by the Germans during World War II and was wondering would something like this be useful in a modern MOUT setting. From what information I have found on the system it had some problems being deployed in action. As I understand there were several models, that either ran on a battery or a gasoline engine. They were controlled by two methods, wire controlled or remote controlled one model was even drove close to the target and the driver got out and remotely controlled the vehicle to the target. The explosives carried ranged from 200lbs to 600lbs of HE. The smaller of the series of the vehicles was designed to blow up with the charge while the larger one dumped the charge off and retreated to a safe location. In combat they had problems as far as machine gun fire taking them out to someone simply cutting the remote line to it. Though I did read that they did a good job in urban operations in Warsaw. As far as I know they were not very good in rough terrain although they did use tracks.
That brings us to the year 2008. The U.S. military are using robots on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan to do things from recon from the air to IED demolition. It is now a common thing to see a RC on the battlefield. From what I have seen they are very useful in many roles and there roles are going to be more extensive in the future. The modern ground based systems seems that they could have problems as far as being taken out by a well aimed bullet and they look that they might have some mobility problems on rough terrain. But, I think there here to stay for the foreseeable future.
I now return to a modern demolition RC idea. In the following paragraphs I will play pretend and design a RC demolition vehicle and put it in a modern battle situation and anybody who wants to comment what you see as tactical problems anything you can think of please comment. Think of this as a kind of test evaluation.
I will start off by giving the it a designation I'll call it Remote Demolition Vehicle or RDV for short. First, lets start with the size of the vehicle. Width should be 2.5 feet so it would be able to fit through most doors. Length 4 feet to carry the payload better. Height 2.5 feet including sensor package. Weight about 450lbs depending on what type explosive charge is used. The system would come in four parts these being chassis,sensor package,explosive charge, and control unit. For it to survive a direct charge onto a target it would have to be armored to some extent. It would have to repel 7.62 fire and fragments from grenades and rpg's. So the explosive package should be armored and cover the chassis. The chassis could be less covered in armor but still have some for fragments. The tracks should be metal with rubber pads. As far as the sensor package one camera looking straight forward should get the job done night vision would be nice to have also and it would have ballistic glass covering it. The control receiver would be located in the package also. Since, the chassis would be designed to explode with the charge the sensor package would be designed to blast off the frame at a 45 degree angle into the air so that it could possible be used again this would be accomplished with a spring load and small charge. The system would run off of batteries and run by two electric drive motors. To save money most parts would be off the shelf items. Two types of explosive charges would be used, a 200lb plastic explosive charge and a 100lb thermobaric charge. While both charges would be useful against the face of a building the thermobaric would be more useful if the rdv could get inside a building. So, basically how the system would work is it would controlled up the face of a building a detonated in hopes that the force of the blast would bring the front of the building down. The next paragraphs will give a fictional situation that the system could be used in.
On any given day at any given time a Army Infantry Company has been ambushed by a group of insurgents while escorting several fuel trucks. The lead gun truck has been taken out with an IED two casualties have been taken. Two groups of insurgents begin to fire on the convoy. One group is to the east the other to the west. The group to the east is located in an open expanse of the city with a small amount of buildings but each building is well over 100 meters from each other and the insurgents have decided to use burms as cover. The other group is split between one building and a market place. Total number of insurgents around 7 to the east and 14 to the west. The group to the east are armed with 6 AK-47s and 1 RPK. The group to west have 12 AK-47s, 2 RPKs, and 2 RPG-7s.
Within the first ten seconds of the engagement the group to the east has been shut down with 4 casualties and the other 3 on the run towards buildings to southeast. This is thanks to a Humvee mounted MK-19. The western group are staying and it's becoming hard to target them. They chosen to fight from an area with lots of obstacles such as cars and buildings.
The Company Commander Capt. Scott orders one platoon to escort the fuel trucks to a safe location about 6 klicks up the road. He keeps his other platoons to stay and fight. On hand Capt. Scott Has 2 rifle platoons his headquarters 4 Humvees with 3 50s and one with a MK-19 one of the Humvees has a RDV with it. 4 AT-4s are also available and a Kiowa Warrior with 14 Hydra rockets is inbound.
One minute into the engagement the 4 insurgents in the market have began to move in a northwesterly direction to join up with the remaining insurgents in a large building. 2 of the 4 are taken down before they enter the building. Now, they are 12 remaining.
Capt. Scott has his defence set up directly in front of the building his men are about 150 meters from the building. His men are using a concrete divider wall as cover. From his Humvee he sums up his situation.
To himself he eyes the terrain and creates a plan. The building in front of him has 12 insurgents in it. They are putting up heavy resistance as of yet they have not fired any RPGs. The building is about 100 ft long and two stories with 10 windows it is built of concrete and seems pretty formidable. He can tell because of the 3 .50 calibers he has failed to make the first loop in the wall. In front of the building is a two lane road that is about 50 meters from it and about 100 meters from his location on either side of the building are one lane roads. On the south side of the building is an open market with lots of civilians there are also several civilians laying in front of the building in a small courtyard. So, collateral damage is an issue. On the the north side of the building is a row of buildings that come up to the two lane road directly in front of the building.
Two minutes in Capt. Scott splits his force. He orders one platoon to flank the building from the north via the row of buildings and for them to take 2 AT-4s with them and leave one of thier SAW gunners behind. So the platoon goes north under cover and comes out on the east side of the buildings and begins to try to find locations to set up from on the north side of the target building. At this point the first RPG is fired and goes overhead Capt. Scott's position. From his position an AT-4 is fired. The building is hit on the right side of a window doing some damage and taking out 2 insurgents. A second AT-4 is fired from his position and hits above a second story window. The AT-4 are doing some damage but they are designed to take out tanks their explosive power is concentrated in a small area.
Three minutes in and Capt. Scott is down 2 AT-4s with his objective mostly intact and heavy fire still coming from the building. The flanking platoon is now set up on the north side of the target and beginning to fire. Capt. Scott gets on his radio and asks were the Kiowa is and another RPG is fired this one hits the divider wall and kills 4 men. Chatter comes across the radio it's the Kiowa the pilot says he getting ready to come up behind Capt. Scott's location. Capt. Scott steps out of his Humvee as the Kiowa does a fly over. The pilot asks Scott what he wants to happen. Scott replies standby. Capt. Scott looks over the situation and sees several civilians in the market and in front of the building. He tells the pilot that he has several civilians around the target as for now just stand down.
Four minutes in and Capt. Scott has a fire fight with a fort going on. As he surveys he notices that the civilians in front of the building have began to crawl towards the two lane road in front of the building as they get to the road he tells the Kiowa to fire. The Kiowa fires a salvo of 14 rockets at the building. Eleven of the rockets hit the building while 3 land in the courtyard. As the dust clears there is still no fire coming from the building. The front of the build is heavily damaged but no real penetration.
Five minutes in and Capt. Scott gives an order to cease fire. About 20 seconds later 2 RPGs fire from the building one hits a Humvee killing the gunner the other hits in front of the divider but no casualties. Heavy fire breaks out from both platoons going across the front of the building. Capt. Scott decides to use the RDV.
Two soldiers go over to RDV trailer that is on the back of a Humvee and begin to unload it. The operator straps the remote control unit across the back of his neck with the actual unit laying across his waist. The operator starts the RDV up and backs it off the trailer. One of the soldiers ask Capt. Scott which charge he wants to use. Capt. Scott goes with the 200lb plastic explosive charge. It is already attached to the RDV so no switch out is required. The operator begins to look for a path to use to get the RDV to the target. Since, a divider is between them and the target he has to find an opening to go through or have one of the Humvees push one of the dividers to the side. He surveys the divider and finds a place to go through right across from the market. The operator gets behind the divider and uses the monitor on the remote control unit to control it to the target. As the RDV goes across the ground toward the road insurgents begin to fire at it. So, he increases the speed to about the speed of a running person. Capt. Scott gives an order for the men with 203s to fire smoke grenades at the building. As the smoke rises the fire subsides.
Eight minutes in and the RDV has made it to a sidewalk that leads to the building. The operator slows the RDV down to negotiate the sidewalk and begins his approach to the front door. As the RDV comes to the buildings door the operator arms the RDV and presses the fire button. As this happens the sensor package fires off of the RDVs frame and 2 seconds latter 200lbs of plastic explosive goes off.
Now, from what information I have given you what do think would happen. By this I mean target damage and collateral damage. Would something of this nature be effective in a MOUT situation. Would it worth looking into or what.
Thank You |
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