iRobot Corp,
BURLINGTON, Mass: iRobot Corp. today announced two Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) delivery orders totaling $19 million for 128 additional bomb-disposal robots to be shipped to U.S. forces overseas. These latest awards bring the total value of NAVSEA orders placed to date to $94 million. iRobot expects to deliver the additional iRobot® PackBot® Man Transportable Robotic System (MTRS) robots by mid-2008.
Under the terms of the previously existing Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract, the military could order up to the full $264 million value in robots, spare parts, training and repair services. The U.S. military's MTRS program has requirements for up to 1,800 robots through 2012.
“Robots are evolving to become one of the most important innovations to come out of the current military conflict,” said Vice Admiral Joe Dyer (U.S. Navy, Ret.), president of iRobot Government & Industrial Robots. “NAVSEA continues to be a leader in quickly providing the most advanced, life-saving tools to our troops when and where they need it.”
PackBot MTRS robots are customized for NAVSEA and are based on iRobot's combat-proven PackBot EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) robots. PackBot MTRS robots are equipped with advanced tools and sensors that enable EOD technicians to detect, identify and disable explosive devices from safe distances.
To date, iRobot has delivered more than 1,000 PackBot robots to a broad range of military and civilian customers worldwide. The robots have performed tens of thousands of missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and are credited with saving soldiers' lives.
iRobot is a provider of robots that perform dull, dirty or dangerous missions in a better way. The company's proprietary technology, iRobot AWARE Robot Intelligence Systems, incorporates advanced concepts in navigation, mobility, manipulation and artificial intelligence. This proprietary system enables iRobot to build behavior-based robots, including its family of consumer and military robots.
