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After US Air Force, FLIR Systems lands Marine Corps deal for Centaur UGVs

Centaur unmanned ground vehicle
Photo: FLIR Systems

Washington-based FLIR Systems announced it has received a contract for the delivery of over 140 Centaur unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) to the US Marine Corps.

The contract is worth $18.6 million, according to the company, and comes after FLIR Systems received a $23 million contract in March this year for Centaur deliveries to the US Air Force.

Marine Corps explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams will use the FLIR Centaur to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices (IEDs), unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks.

“Centaur gives the marines a multipurpose, mid-sized UGV that will complement the FLIR PackBot, SUGV and FirstLook robots we continue to provide to the Corps,” said David Ray, president of the Government & Defense Technologies business at FLIR. “We’re honored the Air Force and now marines are choosing Centaur as an EOD platform-of-choice, and pleased the US Army MTRS Inc II program can serve as a procurement channel.”

In 2017, the US Army chose Endeavor Robotics, acquired a year ago by FLIR, as its medium-sized robot provider for the Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) program. The company designed the all-new Centaur as its MTRS solution. FLIR is delivering robots to the Army under that multi-year program of record, which upon award was valued at more than $150 million, including options. This latest order falls under the current ceiling.

Centaur is a medium-sized UGV that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. Weighing roughly 160 pounds, the open-architecture robot features 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.

The company said the deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020.