Russians seize the latest Western ground drone THeMIS, which the Ukrainian Armed Forces use to transport
Russian troops have captured the unmanned tracked platform THeMIS, which Ukraine received from the allies in the amount of 15 units,reports DefenceTurk.net.
What is known
Ukraine received 15 THeMIS ground drones, becoming the first country to use them in a full-scale war. The supply was carried out by the Estonian manufacturer of self-driving cars Milrem Robotics in cooperation with the German concern KMW. These drones are mainly used for evacuation of the wounded and demining.
According to Army Recognition, the THeMIS UAV was designed and developed by the Estonian defense company MILREM Robotics and is considered one of the most advanced unmanned ground vehicles (UAVs).
MILREM Robotics first delivered the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle in a casualty evacuation and material transport configuration to Ukraine on September 12, 2022, through a Ukrainian charity. Since September 16, 2022, the vehicle has been actively used by the Ukrainian army in the war.
Unfortunately, the Russian occupiers managed to seize one of these systems. They are likely to conduct many tests to familiarize themselves with the technical component of the drone. This could provide Russia with valuable information, as THeMIS does not have the same defects as their Uranium-9 counterpart.
🔵🇷🇺Rus ordusu 🇺🇦Ukrayna'ya bağışlanan 🇪🇪İKA'yı ele geçirdi
🔸Rusya, Estonya'nın Ukrayna'ya bağışladığı THeMIS insansız kara aracını (İKA) ele geçirdi
🔸THeMIS'in ele geçirilmesi halinde 2 milyar ruble ödül verileceği açıklanmıştı
🔗https://t.co/yCDztZVN0u pic.twitter.com/JBid6y7wbH— Defence Turk (@Defence_Turk) May 21, 2024
Using THeMIS in the world
THeMIS is used by 16 countries, including eight NATO members: France, Germany, Spain, Estonia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Norway.
For those who don’t know
THeMIS is a remotely controlled tracked drone with a payload of 750 kg that moves using a hybrid drive. The drive and control module is located on the sides of the vehicle, between which there is a platform for transporting goods, special equipment or weapons. The drone can operate for up to 10 hours, including about 90 minutes in “quiet” mode, using only the electric drive. The top speed is approximately 35 km/h, and the range depends on the terrain conditions, as the vehicle is driven by an operator.
This incident highlights the importance of preserving high-tech equipment in times of war and the potential consequences of its loss for the party using such systems.
