Boeing and iRobot developed the SUGV family of unmanned vehicles under a strategic alliance that began in 2007. SUGV robotic vehicles are smaller and lighter versions of the iRobot PackBot, and are designed to give warfighters real-time awareness of critical situations and carry out missions from safe standoff distances.
As the prime contractor, Boeing provides program management, contracts, government-test support, and quality-control support. Meanwhile, iRobot is responsible for engineering, government-test support, manufacturing, training, and logistics services, with the majority of work conducted at iRobot's headquarters in Bedford, Mass.
"Warfighters can carry and quickly deploy the SUGV at a moment's notice, which is crucial in challenging environments such as Afghanistan. These robots are saving lives every day," says Joe Dyer, president of iRobot's Government and Industrial Robots division. This order, the contract's fifth, brings the total units ordered by the U.S. government to 323.
For more information contact iRobot Government and Industrial robots online at www.irobot.com/gi, or Boeing Defense, Space & Security at www.boeing.com/bds.