Since March, FLIR has announced orders totaling more than $65 million for nearly 500 Centaur UGVs from the United States Air Force, Marine Corps, and now Navy. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will use the FLIR Centaur to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices, unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks. Operators can quickly attach different sensors and payloads to the robot to support other functions, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) missions.
“With the Navy joining the MTRS Inc II program, it means that all U.S. military forces will now use a common, medium-sized robotic platform for EOD and CBRN operations,” said Roger Wells, VP and general manager of the Unmanned Systems & Integrated Solutions business at FLIR. “In an era of increased joint service operations in combat zones worldwide, having common equipment across EOD units can support more standardized tactics and techniques, plus add new efficiencies in sustainment and training for years to come.
“Our team is incredibly proud to know all four branches of America’s armed services have chosen Centaur as their mid-sized EOD robot. And, more importantly, that our technology is helping so many warfighters keep out of harm’s way,” Wells added.
In 2017, the U.S. Army selected Endeavor Robotics, acquired last year by FLIR, as its medium-sized robot provider for MTRS Inc II. The company designed 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. These latest orders fall 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.
Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020. For more on FLIR Systems’ Unmanned Ground Systems platforms, visit www.flir.com/UIS/UGS.
About FLIR Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1978, FLIR Systems is a world-leading industrial technology company focused on intelligent sensing solutions for defense, industrial, and commercial applications. FLIR Systems’ vision is to be “The World’s Sixth Sense,” creating technologies to help professionals make more informed decisions that save lives and livelihoods. For more information, please visit www.flir.com and follow @flir.
Forward Looking Statements
The statements in this release by Roger Wells and the other statements in this release about the contract and order described above are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates, and projections about FLIR's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including the following: the ability to manufacture and deliver the systems referenced in this release, changes in pricing of FLIR's products, changing demand for FLIR's products, product mix, the impact of competitive products and pricing, constraints on supplies of critical components, excess or shortage of production capacity, the ability of FLIR to manufacture and ship products in a timely manner, FLIR's continuing compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, and other risks discussed from time to time in FLIR's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and FLIR does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet service providers.
