L3Harris Technologies has been contracted to provide T7 robots to replace the US Air Force’s (USAF) existing explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) system.
Under the ten-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract, the company will provide 170 large EOD robots to protect USAF’s global bases.
Valued at $85m, the IDIQ contract marks the company’s first airforce robotics contract.
It includes the provision of robots, robotics support, maintenance, and training services to the USAF.
The first delivery of the explosive ordnance disposal robots is scheduled for next year.
According to L3Harris, the latest contract comes after the company’s delivery of Project STARTER to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Project STARTER involved the replacement of the UK MoD’s ageing EOD robot fleet with 122 T7s.
L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems president Ed Zoiss said: “The T7 is setting the new standard for large EOD robots and has received outstanding technical and usability ratings from the airforce.
“This award highlights our ongoing technology investment and positions L3Harris as the premier supplier of large EOD robots.”
L3Harris’ T7 and its medium-sized counterpart ‘T4’ robots will be demonstrated at defence and security trade exhibition ‘Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI)’ in London, UK, from 14-17 September.
Next month, the T7 and T4 robots will also be showcased at the Association of the US Army (AUSA) conference in Washington, DC.
In a separate development, L3Harris partnered with sensor specialist Hensoldt to develop capabilities for Nato’s Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme.
The companies signed a joint cooperation pact to integrate their expertise in the field of platform-independent mission solutions.
L3Harris and Hensoldt are part of a global team that combines Nato nations’ industrial expertise in surveillance and control.
