Milrem Robotics to Deliver Over 150 THeMIS Unmanned Ground Vehicles to Ukraine
Milrem Robotics, a leading European developer of robotics and autonomous systems, majority-owned by the UAE-based EDGE Group, has announced that it will supply over 150 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to Ukraine. The Estonia-based company stated that the supply will be financed and coordinated by the Netherlands, which has provided €8.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since February 2022.
The robotic systems will be produced at the Netherland’s newVDL facility in Born, which officially commenced operations on the day the agreement was announced. The factory, which assembled vehicles for Volvo, Mitsubishi, and BMW between 1967 and 2024, has been converted into a military production facility as part of a strategy to expand military production within the Netherlands and reduce dependence on non-European suppliers. In addition to Milrem Robotics’ UGVs, the facility will also produce military batteries from Tulip Tech and unmanned aerial vehicles from DeltaQuad.
“This initiative highlights the strength of cooperation between partners in Europe’s defence industry and their ability to scale up and contribute directly to international security. Establishing the assembly line in Born supports this donation and creates a foundation for future production and innovation between Milrem Robotics and VDL in the Netherlands,” said Willem van der Leegte, CEO of VDL Groep.
Neither Milrem nor Dutch authorities have disclosed the planned delivery schedule or the configurations of the systems to be delivered. It is currently known that the new units will be added to the 15 THeMIS vehicles already in operation in Ukraine.
THeMIS (Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System) is a multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) developed by Milrem Robotics with the support of the Estonian Ministry of Defense. The vehicle, which was first unveiled in 2015, can be configured for a variety of missions including reconnaissance, surveillance, target detection, fire support, communication transfer, logistics support platform, rescue, and medical evacuation. The THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle has a length of approximately 2.5 meters, a width of 2 meters and a ground clearance of 1.17 meters. The unmanned ground vehicle weighs 1,630kg and can carry a maximum load of 1,200kg.
The vehicles, which have a considerable pulling force of 15kN, are powered by a hybrid drive system consisting of a diesel engine and an electric motor. In this manner, THeMIS can reach speeds of up to 20km per hour. With a full fuel tank, these vehicles can run for up to 15 hours and for up to 90 minutes on battery power alone. Furthermore, THeMIS, which has a specially designed suspension system for the safe transportation and use of the cargo platform, mortar, extra equipment, and ammunition, can climb a 60% slope and overcome 0.6-meter-deep water obstacles.