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2021-06-06

FLIR Receives US$70 M Orders for Centaur UGVs

FLIR Systems, Inc. recently announced that the company has received more than US$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 U.S. Army awarded FLIR a US$31.6 million contract increase for its Man Transportable Robot System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) programme. The new award raises the ceiling value of the original MTRS Inc. II contract from roughly US$158 million to US$190 million.

Enabling Safer Missions

The FLIR Centaur is a medium-sized ground robot that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. Weighing roughly 160 pounds (73 kg), the IOP-compliant 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 CBRN detection and other missions.

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams use the FLIR Centaur unmanned ground system to assist in disarming landmines, unexploded ordnance, improvised explosive devices, and similar dangerous tasks. Operators can quickly attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to address other missions, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

In 2017, the Army chose Centaur as its MTRS Inc. II solution for a multi-year programme of record. Since then, other U.S. military branches have opted to deploy Centaur to their EOD units as a new or replacement ground robot system.

Since early last year, FLIR has announced orders totalling more than US$170 million for over 1,300 Centaurs from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corp.

“The strong demand for this multi-purpose robot shows how well unmanned technology can support EOD teams across our military, enabling them to do their job more safely and effectively,” said Tom Frost, VP in the Unmanned and Integrated Solutions business at FLIR. “We take enormous pride knowing Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines rely on the Centaur UGV to perform hazardous missions around the world every day.”

Wide Portfolio

In addition to the FLIR Centaur, the company’s Unmanned Ground Systems (UGS) portfolio consists of the following:

FLIR FirstLook: This is a throwable, rugged, and expandable robot that provides immediate situational awareness, performs persistent observation and investigates dangerous and hazardous material while keeping its operator out of harm’s way. FirstLook allows operations where other robots can’t fit or manoeuvre. This rugged, lightweight robot can be inserted into structures and provides operators with visual, audio, and sensor feedback before entry.

FLIR SUGV: A portable, single-person-lift robot with dexterous manipulation for dismounted and mobile operations, SUGV provides dismounted EOD technicians and other responders with a highly mobile robot that climbs stairs and manipulates objects. It is carried and deployed from packs while on the move. The robot weighs about 30 lb (13 kg) with the manipulator and batteries installed.

FLIR PACKBOT 525: The robot is the newest iteration of the field-tested PackBot robot. PackBot 525 upgrades include state-of-the-art HD cameras, improved illumination, optional in-situ charging, the addition of a laser range finder, enhanced accessory ports, and more attachment points for add-on accessories. It performs bomb disposal, surveillance and reconnaissance, CBRN detection and HazMat handling operations.

FLIR PACKBOT 510: The man-transportable robot performs bomb disposal, surveillance and reconnaissance, CBRN detection and HazMat handling operations. PackBot 510 easily climbs stairs and navigates narrow passages, relaying real-time video, audio and sensor data while the operator stays at a safer, standoff distance. Its manipulator lifts up to 44 lb (20 kg) and is deployable by one person in under two minutes.

FLIR KOBRA: Providing unmatched strength, power, and payload support in an easy-to-operate robot package, Kobra has a lift capacity of 330 lb (150 kg) and stretches up to a height of 11 feet, six inches, gaining access to hard-to-reach places, making it an ideal counter-vehicle borne I.E.D. robot.

FLIR SCORPION: A lightweight, rugged robot with superior mobility and advanced manipulation, it is able to tackle dangerous situations. Scorpion easily slips in and out of rucksacks and is protected from drops at any angle, thanks to a patented arm that stays between and under the tracks. Scorpion’s manipulator arm offers five degrees of freedom and continuous 360-degree rotation to easily reach hard to access areas.

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