Centaur unmanned ground vehicle order for U.S. military totals $190 million
NewsMay 13, 2021
WILSONVILLE, Ore. FLIR Systems, Inc. announced that it has received more than $70 million in new orders for its advanced ground robots from the U.S. Armed Services. The U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps placed orders for nearly 600 FLIR Centaur robots, including additional spares, antennas, and payload mounting kits.
As a result, the company claims that the U.S. Army awarded FLIR a $31.6 million contract increase for its Man Transportable Robot System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) program. The new award raises the ceiling value of the original MTRS Inc. II contract from roughly $158 million to $190 million.
According to the company, explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams use the FLIR Centaur unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to assist in disarming landmines, unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and similar dangerous tasks. Operators can also attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to address other missions.
FLIR Centaur is a medium-sized UGV that is designed to provide a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. The robot features an EO/IR camera suite, a manipulator arm that reaches over six feet, and the ability to climb stairs. Modular payloads can be used for CBRN detection and other missions.
