Israel deploying unmanned US-made APCs in Gaza Strip

Dean Shmuel Elmas
Globes, Tel Aviv, Israel
(TNS)

Jun. 2—Israel is deploying remotely operated M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) as loitering munitions and for logistical missions in Rafah and Jabalya in the Gaza Strip, according to media reports including on the “Bulgarian Military” website. The US-made M113 in known as the Zeldat locally having been adapted for arid conditions.

This is not the first report about the creative use of the M113, the oldest of the IDF’s APCs. In February, the Italian news agency RID cited unnamed sources close to the IDF as being used for logistical tasks and also “deployed as vehicle-borne improvised explosive device [VBIED] suicide bombers — a tactic previously seen with ISIS in Iraq and Syria, and during the war in Ukraine.”

In recent years, the US Army has not concealed the new use of the M113. In May 2002, it published a release about trials carried out in Utah, in which the APC was deployed with a hybrid engine and imaging capabilities, including thermal imaging, and 360 degree vision for the the operator. The refurbished APC carries weapon systems, including precision rockets, in contrast to the original M113, which carried a 0.5-inch M2 Browning heavy machine gun. The new systems increase the lethality of the refurbished APC, while combatants are less exposed in the field.

As previously reported by “Globes” the Swords of Iron War has been the first in which the IDF has made extensive use of remote APCs including a remote controlled weapons system manufactured by Elbit Systems. This is a kit that can be mounted on a heavy vehicle like an APC, and driven remotely..

The M113 Zelda was originally an amphibious APC (capable of moving on land and at sea) designed to carry infantry troops to the battlefield. The length of the APC is 4.86 meters, its width 2.68 meters, and height is 2.5 meters, weighing 12.3 tons. In its original version, it was able to reach a maximum speed of about 64 kilometers per hour on the road with a range of about 480 kilometers.

“Bulgarian Military” reports that communication systems are crucial for the operation of the unmanned M113. High-bandwidth, low-latency communication links, such as radio frequency [RF] or satellite communications, are installed to ensure reliable data transmission between the UGV and the control station, enabling real-time control and feedback. Autonomous navigation software is another critical component, using algorithms to process sensor data and make decisions about path planning, and obstacle avoidance.

Published by Globes, Israel business news — en.globes.co.il — on June 2, 2024.

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