The United States Army, Air Force, and Navy have collectively ordered more than 250 additional FLIR Centaur UGVs from FLIR Systems Inc., worth $32 million combined.

The award is being sourced through the Army’s Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) program.

“We’re tremendously honored that EOD teams across America’s military are relying on our Centaur robot to help them perform dangerous missions with greater stand-off capability,” says Tom Frost, VP and general manager for Unmanned Ground Systems in the Unmanned and Integrated Solutions business at FLIR.

“From enabling easy software updates to enhanced electro-optical infrared cameras, controllers, and communication systems, the Centaur can be a game-changer for troops on the battlefield.”

Over the last 12 months, FLIR has announced several orders totaling roughly $97 million for more than 750 Centaur UGVs from the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. The FLIR Centaur UGV will be used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams across all services to help disarm improvised explosive devices, unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks. A variety of sensors and payloads can be attached to the robot to address other missions such as chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

The U.S. Army selected the medium-sized Centaur robot as its MTRS Inc II platform in 2017. FLIR is delivering the systems 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. FLIR notes that since then, other U.S. military branches have opted to deploy the Centaur to their EOD teams as a new or replacement ground robot system.

Weighing roughly 160 pounds, Centaur is a medium-sized UGV that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. The open-architecture robot is equipped with 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 first quarter of 2021.