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60 MPH, With a Gun and No Driver

By Colin Clark Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 6:20 pm
Posted in Land

That’s the Ripsaw MS1, a tracked unmanned ground vehicle that no less than Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army’s vice chief of staff, called “an amazing piece of gear” this morning.

The Ripsaw may be one of those development programs that lawmakers can use to justify earmarks. It was funded by an earmark worth about $1 million pushed through by GOP Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine. The vehicle is on display for the first time at the Army Science Conference here in Orlando.

Built by twin brothers, Geoff and Mike Howe of Barwick, Maine, the Ripsaw can careen at high speed over obstacles that would leave a vehicle’s crew dazed and bruised. It is operated by a driver in another vehicle using a modular crew station that can be unbolted and placed in a range of Army vehicles, including the Stryker and all the MRAP models.

A weaponised version, modified by the Army’s Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, includes a remotely operated M240 machine gun. The gun is operated by a separate person using another modular station that can be put in a range of vehicles.

In addition to impressive firepower, the Ripsaw can carry a payload of 2,000 pounds. It is not armored and each track can be removed as a unit should it be damaged, according to Bhavanjot Singh, ARDEC project officer.

Singh and the Howe brothers are eager to find a sponsor to help get the Ripsaw into production, or at least to get some prototypes built and tested in the field.

At least four congressional aides checked out the vehicle at the conference display here and Chiarelli had a tour of his own. Singh was enthusiastic about both the vehicle and its builders.

“They are very good dreamers,” he told me.

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	Raney December 4th, 2008 at 11:33 am Your news lead is a bit confusing. From the look of it, your attribution is misplaced and your point is not coming across clearly.
	HENRY JOHNSON December 4th, 2008 at 2:24 pm This vehicle would even better if it had an EME motor. seldom need refueling, light weight, almost indestructible, generate enough electrical energy to run all on board systems. TWM TECHNOLOGY LLC NEWS BULLETIN: Through nonlinear dynamics and the science of Quantum Mechanics, we have developed a new motor that runs on common lead acid batteries the batteries will run several years before needing replacement. It has enough torque to power an army tank, and unmanned aircraft that could stay on station for several months. Helicopter could run several months. A semi truck could run several years before replacing the batteries. A car, power; hand tools, heat pump to heat and cool a home, office buildings and other commercial and industrial uses. Installed in a laptop or any hand held device, will run years without recharging. Ships, Submarines, Aircraft Carriers that can cruse several years without changing batteries. This motor runs by teasing the 2 – permanent magnets in 3 – rotors, fixed to the shaft between two stator’s containing 5 – electro magnets. It’s a timing accomplishment as the permanent magnet comes near the electro magnets, we change the polarity, repelling the permanent magnet and attracting the next. With this we generate tremendous torque and RPM’S (10,000) The electro magnets have a secondary windings, whose electrons are excited by the changing polarity, which recharges the batteries and significant other uses(1,000 volts). This motor emits NO, Co2, and does not burn oil or gasoline. This solves the oil and gasoline crisis, eliminates refueling logistics and eliminates greenhouse gases. This motor “CHANGES EVERYTHING” and is a “Nobel Prize” type development. This is a great development for our country. Young men in our area developed it. We have several working pro to types, soon will have working model that will power a US Army Tank. We would welcome the chance to show this to you. Sincerely Henry Johnson, Agent TWM Technology LLC 3490 E N Union rd. Bay City, MI 48706, 989 684 7050
	HENRY JOHNSON December 4th, 2008 at 2:27 pm http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Electro_Magnetic_Energy_(EME)_by_TWM_Technology
	CWO4 Slater December 4th, 2008 at 7:50 pm Arnold would love these machines. Lets get then into operation and save lives. Great Idea. Wish we had them in NAM!!!!!!
	Gilbert Durant December 4th, 2008 at 11:11 pm Put in a seat and I will drive it to work. Who needs the oil companies? This is a fantastic machine with potential beyond just the military uses. Don’t get me wrong, we need this now to protect our people, but I could see this used where ever an ATV would be used in the country or in the city. Fire fighters would love this for those California brush fires, mount a hose and a water tank and get there quick without endangering personnel.
	Doneldon Dennis December 4th, 2008 at 11:21 pm Is this thing befy enough to put a 20mm chain gun on it? How about sophisticated video and sound pick-up?
	Doneldon Dennis December 4th, 2008 at 11:22 pm Make that “beefy.”
	stephen somerville December 5th, 2008 at 8:33 am one and only one question. Can it have nano-babies? The Future ????
	bobbymike December 8th, 2008 at 5:51 pm I say put a Dillon Aero 7.62mm mini-gun and call it the street sweeper. Hey Taliban wanna play.
	Chris December 9th, 2008 at 9:46 am Congratulations to the Howe brothers and to ARDEC! For a German WWII analog, see the Wikipedia page on the Goliath tracked mine.
	pete January 3rd, 2009 at 3:40 am This image doesn’t look right. Is it a GGI image? What is its actual purpose? I know it sounds like a silly question, but what is its actual role?
	tjm308 January 5th, 2009 at 12:59 pm Pete — photos are available. All, is the CLAWS Air Defense system working OR dead deal?? pls advise. Thanks, tjm