DE&S delivers first batch of L3Harris T4 robots to UK forces

Image courtesy DE&S

The new Medium Uncrewed Ground Vehicles (UGV) will be used by UK Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams in support of emergency services to safely neutralising bomb threats. The T4 operates using advanced controls, high-definition cameras, and features a haptic feedback system to maximise control in high-risk situations.

A total of 50 UGVs are being delivered to the MoD under a £32 million project managed by the DE&S Specialist Vehicles and Uncrewed Land Systems (SVULS) Team within the Land Environment, in partnership with industry partner L3Harris. The T4 will see service with both Army and Royal Navy EOD teams in the UK, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

Steve Hayward, SVULS Team Leader at DE&S, said: “The team has delivered equipment into the hands of the users at pace, conducting trials and testing to achieve delivery milestones ahead of schedule. Providing this capability in support of the UK Defence’s Military Aid to the Civilian Authorities (MACA) obligations demonstrates the commitment within DE&S to deliver the right equipment where it matters, keeping our operators and the people of the UK protected from the threats of today and tomorrow.”

The T4 will provide a smaller more flexible option and complement the already in-service L3Harris T7 EOD UGV offering significant synergies in training and logistics.

Army DEODS Head of Programmes, Colonel Tim Gould, said: “The L3 HARRIS T4 will now join its T7 stablemate in supporting our EOD operators on their vital work to safeguard the UK public from explosive hazards. The T4 will close a capability gap in the UK MACA EOD response by enabling greater UGV access in confined spaces.”

L3Harris, which has 12 UK sites and employs more than 1,400 people in the UK, has invested in generating a suitably qualified UK-based team to provide through-life support for the programme. This ensures the MoD has long-term, mission-ready support while contributing to the UK’s high-value defence capabilities.

Ian Menzies, General Manager of the ICI Division at L3Harris, said: “At L3Harris, we are committed to delivering mission-ready technology that keeps people safe and operationally effective. These deliveries demonstrate our ability to rapidly deliver capabilities on time and to specification. The T4 gives operators the ability to neutralise explosive threats from a safe distance, reducing risk to life and strengthening the UK’s operational resilience.”