The Army has approved Low Rate Initial Production of iRobot's Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) following a major milestone review of the Brigade Combat Team mobilization, Boeing announced in a press release.
This is a major, although not unexpected, development for iRobot. The SUGV is the cornerstone of the company's future military aspirations, built on the success of the PackBot, and represents a transition from specialty robots intended primarily for specialized bomb disposal teams to everyday infantry robots that will see much higher volumes and revenue.
According to the press release, production will begin in 2010 and will go to brigades in the field in 2011. The release does not mention how many units will be procured.
Also of note, the SUGV was listed first by Boeing in its press release. I don't think that's a mistake. The SUGV is the one military piece of gee-whiz gear that everybody knows can have an immediate impact. You put the robot on the point, saving soldiers. It's that simple.
Need a refresher? Check out the SUGV video at the SUGV 300 web site.
Tags: iRobot, SUGV
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