Centaur UGVs to be delivered to U.S. Army and Navy
NewsJune 10, 2020
WILSONVILLE, Ore. FLIR Systems, Inc. announced that the United States Army and Navy have ordered in total more than 160 of the company’s Centaur unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), plus related spares and accessories. The two contracts, totaling $23.5 million, are being sourced through the Army’s Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) program.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will use the FLIR Centaur to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices, unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks. Operators can attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to support other functions, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) missions.
FLIR is delivering robots to the Army under that multi-year program of record, which upon award was valued at more than $150 million, including options. These latest orders fall under the current ceiling. Centaur is a medium-sized UGV that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards.
Weighing roughly 160 pounds, the open-architecture robot features an advanced EO/IR camera suite, a manipulator arm that reaches over six feet, and the ability to climb stairs. Modular payloads can be used for CBRNE detection and other missions. Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020.
