Moog’s Flexible Mission Platform competes for AUSA 2024 Best New Product Award with adaptable firepower.

At the 2024 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place from October 14–17 in Washington, DC, Moog Inc.'s Defense Division, in partnership with American Rheinmetall Vehicles (ARV), is presenting the Flexible Mission Platform (FMP) integrated onto the Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) robotic vehicle. This integration marks the first time the FMP system has been mounted on the S-MET, showcasing the platform’s capabilities and modularity.
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Moog’s booth showcases another FMP system, where missile launchers are rotated daily to exhibit various combinations of anti-armor and counter-unmanned aerial system (c-UAS) launchers on the platform’s pedestal. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The FMP is designed as a payload-, mission-, and platform-agnostic solution, allowing users to configure it with various weapons, sensors, or other mission packages suitable for land vehicles, containers, trailers, and even surface ships. At the exhibit, American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Textron Systems unveiled their jointly developed prototype, featuring the FMP equipped with Javelin and Coyote launchers for the U.S. Army’s Small Multi-Purpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) Increment II program.

This program aims to provide the Army with up to 2,195 autonomous ground vehicles by 2027 to enhance logistics support for combat operations. Under the contract, American Rheinmetall Vehicles will deliver eight prototypes in 2025 for testing and evaluation, competing against another contractor’s prototypes before a final selection is made.

Chris Haag, Senior Director of Business Development at American Rheinmetall Vehicles, emphasized the importance of the FMP and S-MET integration as a demonstration of collaboration. Meanwhile, Moog’s booth showcases another FMP system, where missile launchers are rotated daily to exhibit various combinations of anti-armor and counter-unmanned aerial system (c-UAS) launchers on the platform’s pedestal. Furthermore, the Flexible Mission Platform (FMP) has been nominated for the AUSA National Partner Best New Product Award for 2024. According to Jason Weiss, Land Systems Director at Moog, this presentation is intended to demonstrate the FMP's capacity to support different mission needs for U.S. and allied forces.

At AUSA 2024, American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Textron Systems unveiled their jointly developed S-MET prototype, featuring the FMP equipped with Javelin and Coyote launchers. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Constructed with Moog’s established military motion control technology, the FMP system is available in both pedestal and yoke configurations, with options for high-performance stabilization, a slip ring for high-speed power and data transmission, and weapon stores management capabilities supporting missile firing. The system is designed with customer-specified payload capacities and includes a hinged reloading mechanism for efficient missile replenishment. Engineered to reduce inertia, the FMP’s stabilization system supports accurate firing on the move. Key specifications include 360-degree continuous rotation with optional slip rings, an elevation range of -10 to +30 degrees, and an approximate weight of 350 kg (excluding missile launchers).

The FMP platform includes features tailored for quick reconfiguration to meet air-defense and anti-armor mission requirements. Alongside the FMP, Moog’s exhibit includes various defense technologies, such as the Reconfigurable Integrated Weapons Platform (RIwP), Control Actuation Systems (CAS) for missile steering, the Portable Weapon Management System (PWMS), and Moog’s avionics systems. The Moog booth also showcases rotary solutions with slip rings, motion control, and media conversion capabilities. Additionally, Moog displays its contributions to the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program with products like actuation systems, flight control computers, and components for active feel and trim control.

The FMP’s design accommodates various configurations across different platforms, such as light and medium-protected vehicles, robotic vehicles, surface ships, and containerized platforms. (Picture source: Moog)

For users seeking versatile configurations, the FMP system offers platform options, including a multi-channel rotary joint for rapid data transfer, protective covers for ingress protection, and a stabilization system to support moving operations. Moog’s Weapon Stores Management System (SMS), available with the FMP, is a third-generation modular system integrating with vehicle sensors and mission management systems. SMS components include customizable electronic flight and multi-function displays, a weapon control panel, and an enhanced stores interface unit. The SMS configuration is designed to enable missile hosting, supporting efficient integration and providing users with a tailored fire-control solution. The SMS system offers flexibility for users across air, land, and maritime applications and is compatible with potential future mission upgrades.

The FMP’s design accommodates various configurations across different platforms, such as light and medium-protected vehicles, robotic vehicles, surface ships, and containerized platforms. Both pedestal and yoke FMP configurations support different operational environments, featuring options for azimuth travel locks, mounting surfaces, and sighting system compatibility. Detailed specifications for the FMP include a 28 VDC power supply (meeting MIL-STD-1275D requirements), traverse and elevation speeds of 1 rad/sec and 0.5 rad/sec, respectively, and acceleration capabilities of 1.7 rad/sec² in traverse and 3 rad/sec² in elevation.