The Navy’s newest man-portable bomb-disposal robot has been approved for fabrication and testing after passing a critical design review, the service and manufacturer Northrop Grumman [NOC] said Tuesday.
Increment 1 of the Advanced Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robotic System (AEODRS) was given the Navy’s stamp of approval for satisfying cost, schedule and performance requirements. The program will now enter system fabrication, assembly, integration and test.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division has awarded Northrop Grumman a $483 million contract for Increment 1 in September.
AEODRS increment one is the dismounted operations system designed for explosive ordnance disposal reconnaissance and threat assessment. The CDR provided an in-depth assessment, by a government team of experts, managers and Navy and Marine Corps users, that the final design for the AEODRS dismounted operations variant and the development program is technically realistic and achievable.
“The successful CDR so soon after contract award clearly shows the commitment of the Navy and Northrop Grumman team to fill this key gap for EOD robotic operations,” said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, missile defense and protective systems division, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. “We will continue our close collaboration with the Navy and user communities to ensure the delivery of a quality system that meets Navy requirements.”
The AEODRS program aims to create a family of interoperable unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) systems into which emerging technologies can be rapidly integrated.
The “back-packable” increment one system is the smallest member of the AEODRS family, weighing less than 35 pounds including the handheld operator control unit, and various mission modules and sensors. Its primary mission is reconnaissance and information gathering.
All members of the family of bomb-disposal robots are meant to operate the same interchangeable “modules,” making them interoperable and easily upgradeable across the range of systems.
Each system comes with a mobility capability module, a master capability module, a power capability module, a manipulator capability module, end effector capability module, visual sensors capability module, autonomous behaviors capability module and other minor components.
Naval Sea Systems Command awarded AEODRS increment one on Aug. 31, 2015 to the Northrop Grumman team that includes Bokam Engineering, Carnegie Robotics, Harris Corp. [HRS], Hunter Defense Technologies, Neya Systems, QinetiQ North America, and Telefactor Robotics. Northrop Grumman’s offering uses a modular, open systems approach that allows the robot to be quickly adapted for a variety of mission scenarios.
Increment two is a medium-sized wheeled robot that must be transported by and EOD response vehicle and by two people over short distances. That increment entered engineering and manufacturing development in late 2015. It will replace the EOD Man Transportable Robotic System, which entered production in 2005, to perform reconnaissance and “prosecution” of a wide range of items, according to the Navy.
The third and heaviest variant, called the Base/Infrastructure Operations system, will require transportation by large response vehicle or a trailer. It is designed to perform maximum load/lift capabilities and the widest-range of EOD neutralization, render-safe, and other special capabilities, according to the Navy.