FLIR Systems has announced that it has won contracts to provide more than 20 of its PackBot UGVs, as well as spare parts and training, to Norwegian Ministry of Defense and Oslo Police, which will upgrade and expand their ground robot inventory.

FLIR’s PackBot UGV supports various operations that would normally put humans at risk, including bomb disposal, close-in surveillance, and situations involving hostages or hazardous materials.

The UGV can be equipped with a range of payloads that deliver real-time intelligence, allowing it to perform sensing of chemical, biological, and nerve agents, radiation levels, explosive traces, and toxic industrial gases.

“For over a decade, we’ve proudly partnered with Norwegian military and police to supply advanced unmanned ground systems that bolster their security readiness,” says Roger Wells, vice president and general manager of FLIR’s Unmanned Systems & Integrated Solutions Division.

“Our newest PackBots offer enhanced communications, a tablet-based controller, and a common architecture that allows cameras, sensors and other attachments to be quickly connected to suit different mission needs.”

The first PackBots were fielded in Afghanistan in 2002 by US troops. Thus far, more than 4,500 PackBots have been deployed to military and other security forces across the world.