Monday, August 10, 2009

PackBot deal nets iRobot $13.5M

By Brendan Lynch

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Bedford-based iRobot Corp. has landed $13.5 million from the U.S. Navy for its PackBot robots, which enable soldiers to identify and disable explosives from a safe distance.

Under the deal, any branch of the military could order up to the full $13.5 million in PackBot Man Transportable Robot Systems (MTRS), parts, accessories, add-ons, configuration management, training and repair services. The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Indian Head, Md., contracted iRobot. Work on the contract is expected to be completed by 2010. The Packbot MTRS is customized for NAVSEA and is modeled after the battle-tested iRobot PackBot 500 with EOD Kit.

In May, the U.S. Army ordered 125 PackBot 510 robots for $16.8 million under a standing contract. The Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEOSTRI) placed the order under an existing $200 million indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract.