Riverstone TAURUS
TAURUS (Tactical Assault and Utility Remote Unmanned Sentry) | |
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![]() TAURUS Drone | |
Type | Unmanned Ground Vehicle |
Place of origin | |
Service history | |
Used by | |
Production history | |
Designer | Riverstone |
Manufacturer | Riverstone |
Specifications | |
Weight | 2.5 short tons (2.3 t) |
Height | 1.6m |
Main armament | 12.7mm Kord machine gun |
Secondary armament | 4x Ingwe anti-tank missiles |
Engine | Hybrid electric with diesel generator |
The Riverstone TAURUS (Tactical Assault and Utility Remote Unmanned Sentry) is an unmanned ground vehicle with integrated anti-tank and anti-personnel weapons, and reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) systems remotely operated by network linked soldiers. It is controlled with a modified video game controller, and is suitable for a wide variety of tasks in the field. The TAURUS is fully transportable in a standard military transport aircraft or large helicopter and can be slung under most utility helicopters. Additionally, the TAURUS is capable of climbing steps up to one meter high, crossing gaps of the same distance, traversing slopes of as much as forty percent, and ford through water up to a half meter high. To protect the unit from the elements, each UGV is also issued with a weather shroud. The shroud is in essence just a large plastic clamshell that can be used to protect the system from potentially damaging snow, wind, or rain.
Armament
The main armament of the TAURUS is the 12.7mm Kord heavy machine gun as well as 600 rounds of ammunition, granting it the ability to destroy the enemy be they on the ground or in a light skinned vehicle, or even behind cover or in a low flying aircraft. For more difficult, hardened targets, the TAURUS carries four laser guided Ingwe missiles, giving it a range of up to 5,000 meters and a penetration power to blow through even the thickest armor. With a tandem charge, the anti-tank component of the TAURUS is capable of penetrating up to forty inches of armor, meaning that if necessary the TAURUS can even engage a main battle tank on the battlefield.
Power
For its engine, the scientists and engineers at Riverstone opted to give the TAURUS a hybrid electric engine with a diesel powered generator to give it the power and endurance needed to fulfill its missions. Additionally, for missions that may take longer than expected or situations that the much needed diesel fuel is unable to be delivered, the TAURUS is equipped with an inductive charge clamp and transformer, giving the unit the ability to leach off of the local power supply and recharge its batteries if needed.
Countermeasures
The TAURUS also comes equipped with a counter radio-controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED) electronic warfare system that was developed to provide Confederate forces an important, life-saving protection system against a wide range of threats ISBC forces can expect to see on the modern battlefield. It was designed to have minimal size, weight and power requirements while providing optimal performance in order to provide force protection against radio-controlled IEDs. The TAURUS's countermeasure system consists of a primary unit and a secondary unit that features advanced electronic warfare subsystems to counter emerging advanced RCIED technologies. Advanced EW components and techniques are implemented to combat complex threat infrastructures in order to provide a maximum protection radius while minimizing the overall system cost and prime power consumption requirements.