iRobot receives orders totaling $22M

iRobot Corp. has announced it received orders under two separate contracts from the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), that manages these contracts on behalf of the Robotic Systems Joint Project Office at Warren, Mich. and Huntsville, Ala.

PEO STRI placed a $16 million order, the third under the xBot contract, to put more than 200 robots and spare parts into the hands of infantry by October 31, 2008. Orders to date now total $27 million under this $286 million Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract.

iRobot also received a delivery order totaling $6.3 million under the PEO STRI contract for a combination of iRobot® PackBot® 510 with EOD kit robots, the iRobot PackBot with ICx Fido Explosives Detection Kits, as well as spare parts and equipment. Total orders under this $64 million IDIQ contract equal $52 million, and iRobot expects to complete delivery by the end of September 30, 2008.

To date iRobot has delivered more than 1,500 PackBot robots.

Source: iRobot

U.S. Army to receive more armor kits

BAE Systems will deliver 545 lightweight bar-armor kits to the U.S. Army for installation on ground vehicles. The company received a $23.7 million contract from the Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command to equip 371 RG-31 vehicles and 174 mine-protected Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicles with its L-ROD™ aluminum armor, used widely on Army Buffalo ordnance disposal vehicles.

L-ROD is a modular system made of lightweight aluminum alloy that protects vehicles without adding significant additional weight or compromising their operational capabilities. It weighs less than half of comparable steel systems and is bolted to the vehicle, avoiding the need for welding or cutting. It also can be repaired easily in the field.

BAE Systems originally developed the system as part of a fast-response Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency program to provide rocket-propelled grenade protection for High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. Army officials conducted more than 50 live-fire tests to validate the system’s performance and optimize the engineering design.

Work will be performed at BAE Systems facilities in Manassas, Virginia, and Austin, Texas.

Source and Photo: BAE

BAE MMPVs start rolling

In December 2007, BAE Systems was selected as the prime contractor for the MMPV program, worth up to $2.2 billion to produce up to 2,500 vehicles through 2015, for Army Engineers and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams. BAE Systems has now received a $132 million production contract from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command for 179 Medium Mine Protected Vehicles (MMPV).

Twenty-four of 179 vehicles ordered will include a remotely controlled interrogator arm. MMPV is a multi-purpose, mine protected, 6x6 wheeled vehicle based on BAE Systems' next generation RG33 family of vehicles. The contract brings the total amount awarded to date to $152 million.

Under a strategic public/private partnership agreement, BAE Systems and the Letterkenny Army Depot will perform automotive and final assembly production operations of the vehicles in facilities on and adjacent to the Letterkenny Army Depot facilities in Pennsylvania. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in July 2008 and continue through April 2009.

U.S. Army engineers will use MMPVs to conduct route and area clearance missions, command and control, mount mine clearing systems, and conduct explosive hazards reconnaissance. MMPVs will also be used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams.

Source and photo: BAE

Remote firing device contract

This company will be known to American and Canadian loggers as the makers of the Talkie Tooter.

"Rothenbuhler Engineering, Sedro Woolley, Wash., is being awarded an $11,518,054 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the MK 186 Mod 2 Radio Firing Device, MK 313 Mod 0 Shock Tube Igniter, MK 67 Demolition Firing Device and various components. MK 67 MOD 0 Demolition Firing Device, MK 313 MOD 0 Shock Tube Igniter, MK 186 MOD 2 Remote Firing Device systems are all radio firing device kits that together provide for the initiation of both pyrotechnic and ordnance devices remotely in both the electric initiator and shock tube initiator configurations. Additional contract line items are subcomponents of these systems and will be used for system maintenance purposes. Work will be performed in Sedro Woolley, Wash., and work is expected to be completed by Jan. 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-08-D-4279)."

Source: DoD release

Chemring acquires Richmond EEI

Chemring Group has acquired EOD and IEDD specialist Richmond EEI Limited. "Richmond is a world leader in light-weight, long-range, recoilless disrupters – vital for safely neutralising unexploded ordnance and IEDs, whilst minimising the risk of collateral damage. ...

Richmond’s Search products include non-linear junction detectors, selective metal detectors and electronic stethoscopes. Portable wireless X-ray and video inspection kits provide the operator real time visual information to conduct a detailed assess of a device from a safe distance. Richmond’s core neutralisation products are its range of recoilless disrupters, which are stand mounted or carried by a remotely operated vehicle using Richmond’s proprietary weapon carriers. Its recoilless disruptors use a patented counter-piston design which fires a mass of water backwards at the same time as the main projectile or jet is fired. This means that disruptors can be fitted to even small robots, transforming their capability from reconnaissance to neutralisation.

Richmond also offers a wide range of ancillary and support equipment such as long arm remote manipulators, attenuators and suppression devices; freeze neutralising kits and personnel protective clothing. In addition it supplies specialised non-magnetic tools, cutting equipment – and even a rocket propelled wrench for extracting fuzes from unexploded ordnance."

Source: From press release

MMPVs on their way to U.S. Engineers

Its' been an eventful month for contractor BAE. After testing they have been awarded the Medium Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV) contract.

The MMPV is a mine protected, 6x6 wheeled vehicle based on BAE's RG33 MRAP. It will be used by engineers for mounted mine clearing systems, hazards/threat recon, EOD Company support and command and control (C2).

BAE has received an initial US$20m order for nine MMPV test vehicles, test support, armour testing packages and associated maintenance items. The contract could see the production of up to 2,500 vehicles at a cost of $2.288 billion and running through 2015.

Sources: Various
Photo: BAE (RG33)

"Isn't all EOD done by robots?"

I was asked this question recently and the answer is "No". No single robot can answer all the field conditions an EOD team may face. Can it climb stairs? Can it be carried? Is it rugged enough to handle the demands of terrain? Can it pick up something heavy and not fall over? What sensors does it have?

At the same time some of the greatest developments in EOD in the past ten years have been in robotics. The UK, Canada, the U.S., and Germany are leading the way. This quick movie/slide show is an introduction and highlights some of the better known offers out there. In the upcoming weeks we'll supplement this with accessory info.

Source: Various