A really big dog will be joining the U.S. Marines to the RIMPAC 2016 Exercise that is taking place right in Hawaii and Southern California (June 30 to August 4, 2016), and it is also going to be bringing a big gun. Mounted on it is .50 Caliber machine gun and this means that besides having a really loud bark, it also has the biggest bite amongst the dogs in the battlefield.

The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment will be testing the Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT) which is provided by the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory on Camp Pendleton, California for the RIMPAC 2016.  This 750lb. dog was built by General Dynamics Land Systems and it is amphibious so it is ready to join the Marines when they hit the beaches. It can be equipped with track wheels or low pressure wheels to it will be able to traverse through sand, swamps, and surf.

Having a MUTT around to support a Marine unit means more firepower is immediately available with the .50 caliber gun and cover a bigger area with the fewer men. Apart from being amphibious, it can also join the Marines when they board the MV-22 OSPREY Tilt Rotor Aircraft when they need to be quickly deployed to any hotspot

Apart from using a heavy machine gun to support the Marines, the MUTT can also perform the role of a robotic mule, able to carry up to 600-lbs of gear and equipment for the squad. Either the Marines will have their big loads carried by the MUTT or they can stuff it with more essential gear so they can have more stuff such as ammo apart from what they carry in their packs and webbing. The MUTT can also be used to carry casualties to a Medevac zone, counter-IED components, and communications gear.

The MUTT is not an autonomous vehicle yet. It is tethered to a Marine operator who uses a high-strength fishing line and the controls are done by pull actions. This is almost like controlling a dog on a leash.  As for power source, it runs on lithium-ion batteries. With a full charge and a full load of 600lbs. a MUTT can accompany its operator to up 15 miles.

During the RIMPAC 2016 exercises, the new ideas will be conducted with the MUTT to determine how to work effectively with it especially under a simulated hostile environment and how its strengths can be put to good tactical use.