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Britain's ground troops are to get a fleet of hi-tech new bomb disposal robots, under a GBP 65M contract, Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson announced today.
The advanced capabilities provided by the remote controlled robots means they can deal with many more devices than the existing system, giving further protection to bomb disposal operators and civilians.
Known as CUTLASS, the six-wheeled remote controlled robots will replace the iconic 'Wheelbarrow' robots which have been used since the 1970s, when they were first used by bomb disposal operators in Northern Ireland.
Faster, nimbler, better powered and able to use a wider range of bomb disposal 'weapons', CUTLASS will incorporate the latest computer technology to ensure troops can operate more effectively – better protecting lives and property.
Defence Procurement Minister Lord Drayson said:
“This is good news for our troops and good news for industry. It demonstrates the considerable expertise available from British engineers to support the UK's efforts to defeat terrorism. The availability of technology to the terrorist has altered the complexity of the explosive devices we face and how they are being used. Once in service CUTLASS will provide an essential capability for those brave men and women who conduct bomb disposal activities, and who put their lives at risk in order to ensure the safety of civilians and their comrades on operations abroad and at home in the UK.”
CUTLASS uses modern robotics technology to provide a highly versatile bomb disposal capability. It has excellent mobility across a range of terrain and is equipped with a highly dextrous manipulator arm. It will enable specially trained soldiers, known as Ammunition Technical Officers (ATOs), to render safe Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at a distance.
Under the contract the MoD will get 80 of the vehicles with a phased introduction into service beginning at the end of the decade.
