Article Posted on : - Oct 22, 2010

Andros HD1.

CLINTON, TENNESSEE (BNS): Northrop Grumman Corporation recently announced that its subsidiary Remotec Inc. has been awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract by the US Air Force (USAF).

Remote Inc. will be involved in upgrading the USAF fleet of Andros HD-1 unmanned ground vehicles to help counter evolving threats from improvised explosive devices (IED).

The company received funding of $11.2 million for the first year of its explosive ordnance counter-IED mission support and will be upgrading as many as 173 systems over the next two years.

The Andros HD-1 upgrades include a stronger, more dexterous manipulator capable of lifting up to 125 pounds, tracked articulators for greatly improved stair climbing, an integrated Talisman radio system for superior stand-off, and a new operator control unit.

"The Air Force's continued confidence in Remotec's Andros platforms is testament to the experience and praise of those in the field who use them, the performance and reliability of the equipment, and the people of Remotec who stand behind them," Mike Knopp, president of Northrop Grumman's Remotec subsidiary, was quoted as saying in the company news release.

The HD-1 was designed to support a wide range of missions in demanding environments.