Ripsaw American Unmanned Light Tank
Ripsaw
Unmanned Light Tank
Other
Basic Information
Name
Ripsaw American Unmanned Light Tank
Designation
Ripsaw
Alternate Designation
Ripsaw
Equipment Type
Unmanned Light Tank
Manufacturer
Howe & Howe Technologies
Date of Introduction
2001
Description
The Ripsaw is a developmental unmanned light tank designed and built by Howe & Howe Technologies for evaluation by the United States Army. The Howe brothers started the Ripsaw as a small family project in 2000. They introduced it at a Dallas vehicle show in 2001, where it caught the interest of the U.S. Army. Later that year the U.S. Military ordered a prototype MS-1 to be made and shipped to Iraq. The Ripsaw is intended to perform various missions including convoy protection, perimeter defense, surveillance, rescue, border patrol, crowd control, and explosive ordnance disposal. For perimeter defense or crowd control, a belt of M5 Modular Crowd Control Munitions (MCCM) can be mounted around the vehicle to break up crowds or non-lethally engage personnel with flash-bang effects and rubber bullets. Cameras provide 360-degree coverage for situational awareness for the operator. The Army has tested the Ripsaw while remote-controlled by a soldier in another armored vehicle up to 1 km (0.62 mi) away. Its weapon system is modified to fire remotely using the Advanced Remote Armament System (ARAS), a gun that loads its own ammunition and can swap out various types of ammunition, such as lethal and non-lethal, in just a few seconds. These capabilities allow manned vehicles to send the Ripsaw out in front of them and engage targets without exposing soldiers to threats. As of March 2017, the Army is still testing the vehicle as an unmanned platform to test remote weapons stations.
Ground Specifications
Mobility Type
Tracked
Main Weapon
M5 Modular Crowd Control Munitions (MCCM)
Engine
Diesel (750 hp)
Max Speed
97.0 km/h
Range
1.0 km
Variants
Ripsaw UGV
Ripsaw UGV (non-militarized) prototype could accelerate to 65 mph (105 km/h) in about 3.5 seconds, since it was lighter, but it wasn’t as strong/rugged.
Ripsaw MS1 tactical UGV
Ripsaw MS1 tactical UGV utilizes a powerful oversized and customized 650-horsepower (660 PS; 480 kW) Duramax 6.6L V8 diesel engine that delivers 900 ft⋅lbf (1,200 N⋅m) of torque. The Ripsaw MS1 was a test platform made to test off-road capabilities. It was exclusively unmanned, cost $200,000 and could accelerate from 0–65 mph (0–105 km/h) in 3 seconds.
Ripsaw MS2 UGV
Ripsaw MS2 UGV is made to be larger, faster, and more modular than the MS1. It weighs 4.5 short tons (4.1 t) and can carry a one-short-ton (0.91 t) payload. The lightweight tubular chassis design is powered by a 6.6 liter duramax diesel engine generating 600 horsepower (610 PS; 450 kW) and 1,000 ft⋅lbf (1,400 N⋅m) of torque. Fully loaded, the MS2 can accelerate from 0–50 mph (0–80 km/h) in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 60 mph (97 km/h). The vehicle can traverse 50 degree gradients and 45 degree slopes. It can be optionally manned or tele-operated from a nearby command vehicle. Armament can include an M240 machine gun or M2 .50-caliber machine gun, and it has been tested with the Javelin missile. If the Ripsaw is damaged or destroyed, parts can be "cannibalized" in the field and re-assembled quickly. An MS2 vehicle costs $750,000.
Ripsaw MS3 UGV
Ripsaw MS3 UGV is being tested by United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command under the Remote Armed Maneuver Platform (RAMP) initiative to integrate the M153 CROWS remote weapon system onto an unmanned vehicle. RAMP was demonstrated at Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2013 as part of the Army's Armed Unmanned Ground Vehicle (AUGV) program
Ripsaw EV2
Ripsaw EV2 is a luxury version, with a fully enclosed body and two seats inside the cab. It can exceed speeds of over 60 mph (97 km/h) and has a range of approximately 300 miles (480 km). It is currently unknown if the EV2 can mount remotely-operated weapon systems or not. This model is designed for the civilian market but still costs $295,000 with customizable features.
Ripsaw M5
Ripsaw M5 is fully autonomous, all electric tank with max speed up to 60 mph (96 km/h) with a modular design. This would make it as one of the fastest, most flexible production ready tank on the planet. Its speed and autonomous capability could enable the tank battle group to get out of a nuclear strike
Ripsaw EV2
The coveted Ripsaw EV2 represents one of the world's most capable off-road vehicles ever developed. Offered to the public as a luxury high performance light weight go fast super tank in 2015, Ripsaw has become world class iconic and is one of the most sought after and highly valued extreme vehicles on the planet. Howe and Howe Tech is pleased to offer in 2018 the all new redesigned super advanced "suspended cockpit" single seater EV3F1, two seater EV3F2 and the four seater EV3F4 Ripsaws.
Ripsaw EV3F1
Ripsaw EV3F1 are the most extreme and most terrain dominant Ripsaws ever developed. Designed with up to 1500hp and an astonishing .2 hp/lbs power to weight ratio, with over 112 inches of track on the ground, the Ripsaw EV3-F1 stands as one of the world's most exhilarating single seat off-road vehicles ever conceived. Wheel speed is no longer necessary to traverse slopes of loose terrain such as mud, sand and snow. The Ripsaw SSR sets new benchmarks in terrestrial platform development and now stands as the pinnacle of extreme high speed off-road travel.
Ripsaw EV3 - F2
Ripsaw EV3 - F2 (Extreme Vehicle - Floating Cockpit) series Ripsaws are a two seater version of the EV3-F1. Designed with up to 1500hp and an astonishing .2 hp/lbs power to weight ratio, with over 112 inches of track on the ground, the Ripsaw EV3-F2 stands as one of the world's most exhilarating two seater off-road vehicles ever conceived. Wheel speed is no longer necessary to traverse slopes of loose terrain such as mud, sand and snow. The Ripsaw EV3 series extreme vehicles set new benchmarks in terrestrial mobility and now stands as the pinnacle of extreme high speed off-road travel.
Ripsaw EV3 - F4
Ripsaw EV3 - F4 (Extreme Vehicle - Floating Cockpit) series Ripsaws are a Four seater version of the EV3-F1. Designed with up to 1500hp and an astonishing power to weight ratio, with over 112 inches of track on the ground, the Ripsaw EV3-F4 stands as one of the world's most exhilarating four seater off-road vehicles ever conceived. Wheel speed is no longer necessary to traverse slopes of loose terrain such as mud, sand and snow. The Ripsaw EV3F4 sets new benchmarks in terrestrial platform development and now stands as the pinnacle of extreme high speed off-road travel.
System
Alternative Designation
Ripsaw
Type
Unmanned Light Tank
Family
Ripsaw
Crew
Unmanned
Dimensions
Length
INA
Width
INA
Height
180 cm
Weight, Combat
4,100 kg
Ground Clearance
610 mm
Payload Capacity
910 kg
Automotive
Engine Name
Duramax V8 engine
Engine Type
Diesel
Engine Power
750 hp
Cruising Range
INA
Speed, Maximum Road
105 km/h
Speed, Average Cross
INA
Speed Maximum Swim
INA
Fording Depth
INA
Suspension
410 mm
Primary Weapon System
Note
Armament can include an M240 machine gun or M2 .50-caliber machine gun, and it has been tested with the Javelin missile. Also, the Ripsaw MS3 UGV is being tested by United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command under the Remote Armed Maneuver Platform (RAMP) initiative to integrate the M153 CROWS remote weapon system onto an unmanned vehicle.
Protection
Armor
None (aluminum frame)
Applique Armor
Available
Active Protection System
INA
NBC Protection
INA
Smoke Equipment
INA
Details
Country of Origin
United States
Category
Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV)
Land > Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV)
Filter Label
R
Classification
Domain
Ground
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
—
Width
—
Height
1.8 m
Weight
4100 kg
Operators (1)
United States
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