VOP CZ participated in the FOURLOG 2017 with the TAROS and NIMR

NIMR AJBAN 440A (foreground) is a highly mobile four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with the newest technology in ballistic protection and protection against explosions. It is intended for use in the harshest of environments. The vehicle offers exceptional all-terrain capabilities and excellent reliability and performance. The AJBAN 440A is designed to meet the highest military standards.

The international FOURLOG training exercise for students of the military schools of four countries has a long-standing tradition and took place for the thirteenth time during the last two weeks. The theory is taught in schools in Austria, Hungary and in the Czech Republic, where practical exercises also take place in the field with the support of the University of Defence in Brno. Students from Serbia, from the Military Academy in Belgrade, are participants from the fourth country, where no training exercises take place.

“This training exercise brings students with logistics expertise into an international group for the first time. They speak English and create joint decisions in teams on the basis of scenarios,” says lieutenant colonel Jaormír Mareš, deputy head of the Department of Logistics of the University of Defence in Brno.

This year theoretical training in Austria concerned supplying and transferring, and in Hungary students focused on logistics reconnaissance for humanitarian resources and assistance to refugees. The practical exercises, which took place last week in the Vyškov Military Training Area, culminated the10-day event. The VOP CZ Company from Šenov u Nového Jičína provided its technology for the exercises.

The UGV TAROS V2 automated robotic ground system is intended for combat and logistics support of mechanised, reconnaissance and special units, in difficult operating environments with a high degree of risk. The TAROS V2 automated robotic ground system is conceived as a module system, when individual 4x4 and 2x2 modules can be used to create a robotic TAROS V2 vehicle in 4x4/6x6/8x8 configurations, with the option of equipping it with components from a wide range of accessories, including weapons and robotic and sensor systems.

“The NIMR is light and has excellent capabilities for traversing the terrain. With a weapons superstructure it can be used as an accompanying, securing, reconnaissance or command post vehicle,” head of the Department of Tactics Jaroslav Kozůbek, also from the University of Defence in Brno, comments on the NIMR AJBAN Vehicle.

The students delivered supplies in a logistics convoy lead by a NIMR AJBAN 440A. VOP CZ has been making cabins for this vehicle for two years now and is now also able to manufacture and supply the complete range of these high-quality armoured vehicles to Visegrad Group countries.

Ondřej Hochman, a 5th year student of the Department of Logistics, commented on his experience: “I travelled in the NIMR twice. It has no problem with difficult terrain. The vehicle is really good, I cannot praise it enough.“

And his colleague Ondřej Kolařík adds: “I just had a ride in a NIMR and it is a comfortable car for a military vehicle. The engine is enormously powerful, it manages the terrain without any problem whatsoever, rutted roads, bumps, mud. It drove without any problems.“

The crewless TAROS robotic system from VOP CZ played a major role at the head of the logistics support convoy when passing through and clearing dangerous areas. This vehicle presented capabilities that could be used during reconnaissance. However, the potential of this crewless device is naturally much greater, it can carry equipment and material to soldiers on patrol, or collect injured soldiers....

“If the TAROS falls into a trap and comes under fire, we sacrifice the TAROS not the soldier. As soon as the TAROS reaches a dangerous place, it stops and performs reconnaissance using a camera. If it is equipped with a robotic arm, it will place a charge, withdraw and the commander gives the instruction to detonate the charge remotely. After the charge has been detonated the convoy can pass through. The TAROS will continue leading the convoy, monitoring dangerous objects and areas. This is the task of the TAROS, we send a robot out instead of a soldier,” Jaroslav Kozůbek adds.

A total of 45 students took part in the FOURLOG 2017 training exercise: 22 from Hungary, 10 from the Czech Republic, 7 from Austria and 6 from Serbia. They acquired their first experience in international logistics, handling situations and the options for dealing with situations manually and also using the Czech Armed Forces and the VOP CZ Company’s technology.