Northrop Grumman Remotec awarded Air Force contract for HD-1 fleet counter-IED upgrades

21st October 2010 - 18:27 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

RSS

Northrop Grumman Corporation subsidiary Remotec Inc. will upgrade the US Air Force fleet of Andros HD-1 unmanned ground vehicles to help counter evolving threats from improvised explosive devices (IED).

The Air Force Air Combat Command awarded Remotec a sole-source, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to upgrade as many as 173 systems over the next two years. The company received funding of $11.2 million for the first year of its explosive ordnance counter-IED mission support.

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

"This contract is the result of a focused, collaborative development effort that provides the Air Force with exciting new capabilities to meet evolving threats in the field," said Mike Knopp, president of Northrop Grumman's Remotec subsidiary. "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."

For more than 25 years, Remotec has served the military, explosive ordnance disposal units, hazardous materials units, and other first responders as a leading provider of mobile robotic systems for application into a variety of undesirable, hazardous and potentially life-threatening environments.

Source: Northrop Grumman

Follow Shephard News on Twitter