Thales and 3ME Unveil BladeHAUL: A 10-Tonne Uncrewed Ground Vehicle Built on the Bushmaster Line
Thales Australia and 3ME Technology unveiled a new uncrewed ground vehicle called BladeHAUL at the Land Forces 2026 exhibition in Perth on October 6. The companies describe it as the most powerful UGV Australia has built or planned to date.
Born on the Bushmaster Line
BladeHAUL is manufactured on Thales’s Bushmaster production line in Bendigo, Victoria, while its drive and control systems come from 3ME Technology’s facility in Newcastle, New South Wales. The partnership is a concrete example of adapting existing armoured-vehicle manufacturing infrastructure to uncrewed platforms rather than building a new line from scratch.
The companies describe BladeHAUL as a “hybrid-electric, heavy-duty, off-road extra-large UGV.” It can carry a 20-foot container and up to 10 tonnes of payload in total — a figure the companies say exceeds the capacity of any other existing or planned Australian UGV.
Power System and Operational Range
The vehicle runs on 3ME’s 660-volt power system and, with a 110 kWh battery, can reach a range beyond 600 kilometres. BladeHAUL can be operated either by remote control or autonomously. The platform is designed to be air-transportable aboard A400M, C-17 and C-130 aircraft.
Why Hybrid-Electric Drive Matters Tactically
Hybrid-electric powertrains are increasingly favoured for ground vehicles because they produce a lower acoustic and thermal signature than diesel engines. That trait helps platforms like BladeHAUL reduce the risk of detection on forward reconnaissance lines or near enemy surveillance systems. The electric power output also lets the vehicle supply continuous energy to radar, electronic-warfare or sensor payloads mounted on top.
Planned Mission Set
Thales and 3ME envision a broad mission set for BladeHAUL, including ISR, counter-UAS operations, radar carriage, coastal defence via a littoral variant, air defence and mine clearance. Logistics and mobile power generation are the two use cases the companies highlight most. The Australian Army is expected to begin trialling the vehicle next year, with BladeHAUL slated to take part in the next Exercise Talisman Sabre. Neither company has disclosed a unit price or a procurement contract yet.
How It Compares to Other UGV Programs
BladeHAUL sits in a different category from smaller, tactical-level UGVs such as Estonia’s Milrem Robotics THeMIS or the US Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) family. With its 10-tonne payload, BladeHAUL points to a logistics and heavy-mission UGV class that exceeds the capacity of most existing programs, positioning it for roles in field resupply and mobile power generation.
The Global UGV Trend and the Turkish Angle
BladeHAUL’s unveiling is the latest example of major armoured-vehicle makers converting existing platforms into uncrewed systems. In Türkiye, companies such as FNSS, Otokar and ASELSAN are developing their own UGV families, and the SSB’s UGV-category projects form the Turkish leg of the same global competition. Given Thales’s broad armoured-vehicle footprint across the UK, Australian and Middle Eastern markets, BladeHAUL is positioned as a platform with export potential among NATO allies over the medium term.
Sources
- Janes, “Land Forces 2026: Thales, 3ME Technology unveil BladeHAUL XL UGV,” October 2026 — used for specifications and mission profiles. https://www.janes.com/defence-intelligence-insights/defence-news/defence/land-forces-2026-thales-3me-technology-unveil-bladehaul-xl-ugv
- EDR Magazine, “Thales and 3ME Technology unveil Australia’s most powerful uncrewed ground vehicle, the Bushmaster-inspired BladeHAUL,” October 6, 2026 — used for the production line and partnership structure. https://www.edrmagazine.eu/thales-and-3me-technology-unveil-australias-most-powerful-uncrewed-ground-vehicle-the-bushmaster-inspired-bladehaul
- Defence Connect, “Thales Australia, 3ME Technology unveil BladeHAUL uncrewed ground vehicle at Land Forces 2026” — used for range, battery capacity and exercise plans. https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/land/18956-thales-australia-3me-technology-unveils-bladehaul-uncrewed-ground-vehicle-at-land-forces-2026
- The Defense Post, “Thales, 3ME Unveil Bushmaster-Inspired Australian UGV,” October 7, 2026 — used as a corroborating source. https://thedefensepost.com/2026/10/07/australia-ugv-bushmaster-inspired/
