Security and Defense


AeroVironment Receives $37.9 Million Raven UAS Order
03/11/10 01:30 PM, 0 Comments
Orders for Raven systems, a 4.2-pound, backpackable, hand-launched visual sensor platform, represent initial portion of Raven funding from United States Department of Defense Fiscal 2010 Budget.



AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ:AVAV) announced that it received firm fixed-price orders valued at $20,731,992 for digital Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and digital retrofit kits, and $17,141,648 for Raven system spare parts, repairs and training services for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. The Raven system and retrofit order represents a portion of the $121 million appropriated for RQ-11 Raven system procurement in the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act, which was…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsFeatureRobotics Features
Tagged: Uas, Unmanned aerial system, Raven, Department of defense appropriations act, Aerovironment

Northrop Grumman’s Bat Unmanned Aircraft System Successfully Completes First Flight
02/26/10 04:16 PM, 0 Comments
Designed for the irregular warfare environment, Northrop Grumman’s “Bat” UAS offers real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, communications relay, and future capabilities in a modular system that is fully autonomous.



Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today that it has flown the first in a new series of Bat unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in January, 2010. Configured with a 12-foot wingspan, the Bat-12 incorporates a highly-reliable Hirth engine as well as a low acoustic signature five-blade propeller. The new configuration increases the mission portfolio of Northrop Grumman’s scalable Bat UAS product line. Northrop Grumman has been engaged in the development of…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsFeatureRobotics Features
Tagged: Uas, Northrop grumman, Unmanned aircraft systems, Bat, Bat-12

iRobot Delivers 3,000th PackBot
02/16/10 10:31 AM, 0 Comments
Massachusetts producer of COTS based, modular tactical mobile robot systems delivers its 3,000th unit since 2002 and vows it will continue to enhance capabilities.



iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) announced that it has delivered its 3,000th PackBot tactical mobile robot. First introduced in 2002, the iRobot PackBot allows warfighters and public safety professionals to investigate suspicious objects and other dangerous scenarios from a safe standoff distance.

“While this is an important milestone for iRobot, it also speaks volumes about the growing need for this technology on today’s battlefield,” said Joe Dyer, president of iRobot Government and Industrial…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsOpinion
Tagged: Irobot, Packbot, Joe dyer

QinetiQ North America Developing Roving, Early-Warning WMD Detector
02/11/10 03:41 PM, 0 Comments
QinetiQ North America partners with Brewer Science and Applied Systems Intelligence to develop a mobile chemical and biological sensor for the military and for homeland defense.



QinetiQ North America (LSE: QQ) announced that it is working with Brewer Science and Applied Systems Intelligence on a program to develop an autonomous, self-deploying sensor that will serve as a roving, early-warning detector of biological warfare activity.

The program is being funded by the U.S. Army Research Office. Work on the project will be performed primarily at the Jordan Valley Innovation Center (JVIC) at Missouri State University, Springfield, Mo.,…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsLatest NewsRT News
Tagged: Robot, Mobile robot, Robotics, Brewer science, Qinetiq north america, Applied systems intelligence, Jordan valley innovation center

Boston Dynamics Wins $30M Contract Under DARPA’s Legged Squad Support System Program
02/03/10 12:30 PM, 0 Comments
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awards “Big Dog” developer Boston Dynamics with a $30M contract to develop a walking quadruped under DARPA’s Legged Squad Support System (LS3) program.



The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded a contract on January 26, 2010, under the Legged Squad Support System (LS3) program. Boston Dynamics of Waltham, Massachusetts, will receive $32 million for a 30-month phase that includes trade studies, detailed design work, and building of initial prototypes.

The LS3 program is a joint effort between DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office (TTO) and the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Lab…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsFeatureRobotics Features

Boston Dynamics Wins DARPA Contract to Develop Legged Squad Support System
02/01/10 11:22 AM, 0 Comments
Developer of Big Dog and other advanced robotics systems awarded a $30M DARPA contract to develop LS3, the first Legged Squad Support System, legged robots that can travel off-road on sand, rocks, mud, snow and other kinds of difficult terrain, while carrying loads.



Boston Dynamics, developer of BigDog, PETMAN and other advanced dynamic robots, announced today that it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop LS3, the first Legged Squad Support System. LS3 is a robot that will travel on rough terrain, going anywhere soldiers and Marines go on foot. Each…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsLatest NewsRT News
Tagged: Robot, Robotics, Ls3, Legged squad support system, Boston dynamics, Darpa, Bigdog, Petman

Lockheed Martin Selects Protonex To Enhance HULC Power Supply Technologies
01/26/10 03:33 PM, 0 Comments
Protonex will develop fuel cell-based power solutions for Lockheed Martin’s HULC anthropomorphic, electro-hydraulic, robotic exoskeleton.



Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has selected Protonex Technology Corporation to develop power supply concepts that will enable the HULC robotic exoskeleton to support 72+-hour extended missions. Protonex will evaluate fuel cell-based power solutions that can be carried by the HULC, while at the same time powering the exoskeleton and the user’s mission equipment during extended dismounted operations.

“Integrating state-of-the-art power technology on the HULC is a whole system approach to meeting the needs of dismounted Warfighters and Special Operations forces,” said…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsFeatureRobotics Features
Tagged: Robot, Robotics, Lockheed martin, Fuel cell, Protonex, Exoskeleton, Hulc

Solution Found for Battlefield Robot Control Problem
01/14/10 03:04 PM, 0 Comments
By utilizing a patented FLEXkit consisting of a hardened computer, multiple, proprietary Radio Control Modules (RCMs) and a swappable hard drive, American Reliance provides an intermediate, plug-and-play solution for a single, common control system for robots and other devices.



American Reliance Inc. (AMREL), developer of customized interoperable solutions, announced that it has solved a major control problem of battlefield unmanned systems.

“Our solution is going to save lives,” proclaims Michael Castillo, Senior Application Architect (Robotics) for AMREL. “Right now, control systems are a big headache for robots in theater. At least 42 separate Operator Control…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsLatest NewsRobotics Features
Tagged: amrel, robotics, Common operator control unit, american reliance, ocu, robot, radio control modules, operator control units

Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B Fire Scout Demonstrates Interoperability With the Army’s OSRVT
01/13/10 10:30 AM, 0 Comments
MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned autonomous helicopter has been shown to work with the Army’s One System Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) video and data system, enabling warfighters to remotely downlink live surveillance images and critical geospatial data.



A Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) land-based MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Unmanned Aircraft System, designated P7, successfully demonstrated interoperability with the Army’s One System(R) Remote Video Terminal (OSRVT) at Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz., the week of November 23.

Fire Scout’s OSRVT demonstration illustrates its readiness to support Brigade Combat Teams. Designed and produced by AAI Corporation, the OSRVT provides direct receipt…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsLatest NewsRT News
Tagged: Robot, Uav, Uas, Unmanned aerial vehicle, Mq-8b, Fire scout, Robotics autonomous, Unmanned aerial system

AAI Receives $39 Million Award for Additional Shadow Systems
01/04/10 01:16 PM, 0 Comments
In addition to 91 previously delivered systems, AAI Corporation has been contracted to deliver three new Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems to support U.S. Army and Marine Corps. bringing the total of ordered systems to 116.



AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced that it has received a $39 million production order for additional Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (TUAS). The order includes two additional units for the U.S. Army and one for the Marine Corps. Including this new order, a total of 116 Shadow TUAS have been ordered by…
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Filed in: Security & Defense RoboticsOpinion
Tagged: robotics, robot, Aai corporation, unmanned aerial vehicle, autonomy, shadow, unmanned aerial system, autonomous