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Thursday, January 29, 2009

Army gives iRobot $5.5M for more PackBots

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Bedford-based iRobot Corp. says that the U.S. Army has awarded it a $5.5 million order for 72 more PackBot robots. The U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training, and Instrumentation is also asking iRobot (Nasdaq: IRBT) to supply spare parts and conduct repairs on the PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit robots.

The latest order is the eighth under the xBot contract that iRobot won last fall — a deal worth up to $286 million. IRobot has won orders to date under the xBot contract valued at approximately $73 million. iRobot will begin delivering the robots immediately.

The PackBot is used for non-Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) troops to investigate suspicious objects and potential threats while keeping them at safe distances. iRobot has delivered more than 2,200 PackBot robots to the Army.

In November, iRobot won $2 million worth of Congressional support to improve development and production of its Warrior 700 robot for combat areas. The iRobot Warrior carries up to 150-pound payloads and covers inaccessible and dangerous areas with sensor readings and real-time video and audio. The robot also features a different center of gravity from previous robots, adding to its mobility, according to iRobot.

For 2007, iRobot reported a profit of $9 million on revenue of $249 million.
 

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