Chinese Firm Develops Robotized Unmanned Ground Vehicle

A Chinese arms company unveiled its ‘Mule-200’ unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) that can transport ammunition and supplies or provide fire cover.

The firm, Zhong Tian Zhi Kong Technology Holdings Company displayed the Mule-200 at the Unmanned System Exhibition and Conference 2020 (UMEX2020) in Abu Dhabi last week.

The Mule-200 is a medium-sized, multipurpose crawler UGV designed to accompany infantry units and transport ammunition and supplies, equip firearms and provide fire support at close range.

It can switch loads for transport, reconnaissance, combat and communication relay for different missions. Unlike most UGVs that mount payloads in the open, the Mule-200 can store them inside its armored hull. The UGV weighs 500 kilograms and can carry a 200 kilograms payload.

With two caterpillar tracks, the Mule-200 can travel in all kinds of terrain, at a top speed of 50kmph with a longest range of 50km. It runs on a gasoline-electrical hybrid engine.

While western unmanned systems hogged the limelight at the UMEX 2020, Chinese equipment was barely noticed largely due to a poor PR strategy by Chinese firms. Chinese entities at international arms fairs generally shy away from talking to the media and when approached, turn a cold shoulder to international journalists.