Northrop Grumman [NOC] said yesterday it is getting closer to producing a new robot for neutralizing bombs and inspecting suspicious packages that is more capable and user friendly than previous unmanned ground vehicles.
The company said it expects to begin deliveries of the Titus in December. Titus is the newest and smallest member of the company’s class of Andros UGVs built by Northrop Grumman subsidiary Remotec.
Philip Coker, director of integrated platform solutions for Northrop Grumman Information Systems, told reporters that Titus brings with it easier controls to master and simpler interfaces for end users. It is also capability of operating semi-autonomously for pre-set positioning.
Northrop Grumman is marketing Titus to local law enforcement agencies and has currently submitted more than a dozen proposals the company expects will result in initial orders totaling 16 to 20, Coker said. The cost per unit price ranges from $125,000 to $175,000, depending on the options, Coker said.