AUSA 2022: GDLS displays TRX Breacher, weighs path ahead for RCV-L competition

General Dynamics Land Systems' TRX Breacher that was at AUSA 2022. (GDLS)

General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) showcased its second-generation Tracked Robot 10-Ton (TRX) with a breaching capability at the Association of the US Army (AUSA) 2022 conference in Washington, DC.

This newest robotic combat vehicle is based around the previous iteration of the tracked, flat-top unmanned ground vehicle that the company unveiled in 2020 and used in several army experiments. The company used “lessons learned” from these service events to build the TRX Breacher, which includes an obstacle-reduction mission package from Pearson Engineering, Tim Reese, the GDLS director for US business development, told Janes in a 7 October email.

“It uses a large pusher blade, an articulated lifting arm, and a MICLIC [mine-clearing line charge] to push or knock down obstacles, to pick up debris and move it, and to clear a path through minefields, respectively,” he wrote. “This configuration of TRX and the obstacle-reduction package was successfully used in August at Fort Hood for the army's robotic combat vehicle experiment.”

Army officials used the TRX Breacher, along with the initial Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light (RCV-L) and Robotic Combat Vehicle-Medium (RCV-M) prototypes, at this event.

The Director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross Functional Team, Brigadier General Geoffrey Norman, told reporters on 11 October that soldiers learnt a lot about the capabilities they desire from such vehicles, including just how much autonomy they need.

“Having a system that can take that first shot rather than having them be the person that takes the first shot is really powerful,” Brig Gen Norman said. “But they need that robot to be reliable and they need to be able to trust it where they tell [it] to go,