The government has awarded three contracts worth £2 million to small business developing semi-autonomous reconnaissance and survey systems to help the military cross rivers, streams, and bogs.

The contracts were awarded by the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) during competition ‘Map the Gap’, which aims to develop systems that help the army cross ‘wet gap’ obstacles.

The government said that by replacing manned reconnaissance with a remote, beyond line-of-sight system, the threat to life is not only reduced, but it will also offer the ability to survey multiple crossing sites in a far more timely and efficient manner.

The ability to survey crossing sites by gathering data about the river banks will provide greater choice to ground commanders and offer more opportunities to out-manoeuvre opponents.

“Phase 1 of Map the Gap has given us an insight into how novel technologies might enhance our future river reconnaissance capabilities,” said Colonel Sam Stuthridge, assistant head manoeuvre support and C-CBRN, capability directorate, Army Headquarters. “Under the Future Soldier programme, the British Army is driving ahead with the early adoption of technology to deliver competitive advantage; Map the Gap, and the technology it showcases, has the potential to increase the tempo, scale and accuracy of river crossing operations in the future.”

Stuthridge added: “For Phase 2, we have elected to take forward three UK contenders into the next phase of the study. We aim to accelerate the selected technologies through further trials and experimentation to achieve a world-class product which has utility within manoeuvre support but also across wider Defence capabilities.”

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