Europe builds robotic vehicle to hunt tanks
SignalGeneriX founder Tasos Kounoudes announced the successful integration of the company’s RFHunter direction-finding system into a new European robotic combat platform, marking a major step in cross-border defense cooperation under the EU-funded MARSEUS program.
According to Kounoudes, the RFHunter system has been installed on an MBDA-developed turret equipped with eight AKERON LP anti-tank guided missiles. The turret has been mounted on Milrem Robotics’ Type-X unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), a tracked combat platform designed for multi-role missions. The integration enables the system to carry out anti-tank operations beyond visual range while maintaining real-time situational awareness across the electromagnetic spectrum.
“We are proud for the successful integration of SignalGeneriX Ltd RFHunter Direction Finder with the MBDA beyond line of sight (BLOS) AKERON turret, mounted on the Milrem Robotics Type-X Robotic Combat Vehicle,” Kounoudes said in a post published today.
The RFHunter system, developed in Cyprus by SignalGeneriX, is designed to detect and locate radio frequency emissions on the battlefield, providing a clearer picture of electronic activity in contested environments. By combining this capability with long-range guided munitions, the integrated system offers operators enhanced targeting precision and the ability to detect, identify, and engage threats outside direct line of sight.
The integration aims to deliver real-time electromagnetic spectrum situational awareness, significantly enhancing the vehicle’s operational intelligence and survivability in contested environments.
The work was conducted as part of the MARSEUS program (Modular Architecture and Reconnaissance System for Enhanced Unmanned Systems), a European Defense Fund (EDF) project coordinated by MBDA. The initiative is backed by the Ministries of Defence of France, Sweden, Belgium, and Cyprus. The program seeks to advance the integration of modular systems on next-generation robotic platforms, focusing on electronic warfare, targeting, and autonomous navigation.
The AKERON LP missile, developed by France’s MBDA, offers a range of up to 20 kilometers and is designed to engage armored targets using beyond-line-of-sight targeting data. When coupled with the RFHunter and advanced optics, the Type-X UGV becomes a capable remote anti-armor platform without requiring physical presence on the front line.
Milrem Robotics, based in Estonia, is known for its development of robotic vehicles such as the THeMIS and Type-X platforms. The Type-X was conceived as a medium-weight UGV capable of supporting mechanized formations with both firepower and flexibility.
The MARSEUS project continues to receive technical contributions from several European defense firms and laboratories, with operational trials expected to follow later this year.
