Article Posted on : - Jul 28, 2010

Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (SUGV). A Boeing photo

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA (BNS): The US army has placed a new order with Boeing and partner iRobot Corp. for 94 new model 310 SUGV robots, plus spares, for a total value of $14.6 million.

This order, the contract's fifth, brings the total units ordered by the U S government to 323. Boeing and iRobot developed the Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles (SUGV) family of vehicles under a strategic alliance that began in 2007.

SUGV is a smaller and lighter version of the combat-proven PackBot. It is designed to give warfighters real-time awareness of critical situations and to allow them to complete missions from safe standoff distances. It is ideal for a variety of mission types, including Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), route clearance and reconnaissance.

As the prime contractor, Boeing provides program management, contracts, government-test support and quality-control support while iRobot is responsible for engineering, government-test support, manufacturing, training and logistics services.

"The 35-pound 310 SUGV system provides the dismounted EOD technician with the ability to perform reconnaissance during extremely hazardous EOD missions involving unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices," said Bob DaLee, Robotics program manager for Boeing Network & Tactical Systems.