Singapore’s HOPE Technik, a technology developer specialising in bespoke research and manufacturing for the commercial, defence, and government sectors, has taken the opportunity at the Singapore Airshow 2020 to unveil its new tactical aircraft munitions handling and loading system called the Compact Loader for Aircraft Weapons (CLAW).
CLAW is designed to transfer munitions or stores directly from storage to a tactical aircraft and is operated by a single operator, who can control the loader’s lift arm, load table motion, and vehicle movement from the rear-mounted digital instrument panel.
Homegrown technology developer HOPE Technik unveiled its Compact Loader for Aircraft Weapons at the Singapore Airshow 2020 exhibition. (Jane’s/Kelvin Wong)
According to company specifications, the electrically powered and self-propelled CLAW measures 4,020 mm long, 1,440 mm wide, and 1,240 mm tall with its handling table retracted, and offers a run time of up to 8 hours on each battery charge. The battery is also easily swapped to maximise the loader’s availability.
Unlike the conventional transmission and two-wheel steering arrangements found on existing munitions handling and loading systems on the market which restrict movement to only one direction, CLAW is equipped with four mecanum wheels – each comprising a hub and rollers – that are capable of spot turning as well as movement in any direction instantaneously while enabling the loader to maintain a constant compass direction through a combination of independent wheel rotations.
Samuel Lee, lead mechanical engineer for CLAW, told Jane’s that it is commonplace for ground crew to make 10-point turns to manoeuvre their loaders to optimal positions before they can attach munitions or other external stores to their respective bays or hardpoints.
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