Plasan North America’s All-Terrain Electric Mission Module, or ATeMM, seeks to address both. The modules can be remotely controlled or towed behind a lead vehicle.

John Cavedo, the company’s president, said ATeMM started as an effort to create a smart trailer that could better traverse tough terrain under its own power behind a lead vehicle. It morphed into something much more.

“I am quite convinced that this can replace towed generators, this can replace towed trailers, this can potentially augment or replace some of the Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light platforms that people are looking at. So I think this is really a multitool,” Cavedo said.

Technology and innovation manager Dan Jakiela explained the ATeMM could push the lead vehicle to which its hitched, either creating better fuel economy while the vehicle’s motor is running, or allowing for so-called silent watch mode, which lets the vehicle run its communications systems and sensors while the motor is off.

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