FLIR Systems announced on 2 March that it will deliver nearly 200 Centaur unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to the US Air Force (USAF) in a contract worth USD23 million.
The contract was awarded through the US Department of Defense’s Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) programme.
The Centaur was chosen as the medium-sized robot for the MTRS programme in 2017. The total programme is valued at approximately USD158 million (including options).
The UGVs will be used by USAF explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and unexploded ordnance (UXO) and to carry out other tasks such as the detection, identification, and disposal of hazardous materials.
“Centaur gives operators a highly versatile, man-transportable UGV that helps saves lives by keeping humans away from danger,” said David Ray, president of the Government and Defense Business Unit at FLIR. “We’re pleased the air force has chosen Centaur as its mid-sized robot solution and that the MTRS Inc II programme can serve as an efficient procurement vehicle.”
The Centaur weighs 74 kg, can operate for up to 8 hours at a time with its standard military batteries and is modular in design. A broad array of sensors and payloads (such as disruptors) can be added to it to support other missions as well as deliver real-time intelligence. The unit can travel at speeds of up to 6.5 km/h and can overcome obstacles and debris of up to nearly 30 cm in height.
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