L-3 to deliver Viking UAS to Special Operations Command

An L-3 division will provide a long-range unmanned aircraft system to the Special Operations Command under a contract worth up to $250 million over five years.

Army orders ground robots for engineer, infantry support

The Army has placed an order for 486 of iRobot’s PackBot 510s, the largest order the company has ever received.

Coast Guard acquisition in smoother waters

The Coast Guard is making progress on acquisition processes and seems to have brought Deepwater under control, but plenty of risks remain, including hiring more acquisition personnel and containing costs.

Northrop pitches small unmanned ground vehicle for special ops

Northrop Grumman Corp. is actively promoting its new mini ground robot as a key technology for special operations missions such as hostage rescues, reports Colin Clark in DOD Buzz.

Demand for robotics fuels contract opportunities

iRobot won contracts from the Army and Navy this week for robots used on the battlefield.

QinetiQ to design common robotic controller for Marines

QinetiQ North America will develop a single robotic controller that Marine Corps ground troops could use to operate unmanned vehicles and sensors under a $2.1 million Navy contract.

QinetiQ NA will ship first-responder robots to Navy

QinetiQ North America will supply military first-responder robots to the Navy under a $56.4 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract.

Boeing strengthens cyber and UAV capabilities

Boeing Co. acquires eXMeritus to bolster cybersecurity capabilities and stands up an unmanned vehicle division to manage UAV programs.

DOD requests $5.4B for unmanned systems budget

The Defense Department is seeking an increase of 18.4 percent, or $870 million, in funding for unmanned systems in fiscal 2010 over the amount spent for such systems in 2009, Defense Update reported.

Administration moves to scrap FCS in existing form

The Defense Department’s chief arms buyer, Ashton Carter, said May 18 the administration was on the verge of canceling the entire Army Future Combat Systems program in its present form, according to media reports.

General Dynamics and Elbit Systems create UAS Dynamics

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products and Elbit Systems of America have formed a new company named UAS Dynamics LLC, to provide unmanned aerial systems to the Defense Department.

$50B Alliant award goes to 59 firms

Lockheed Martin Corp. came out ahead in April with a pair of federal contract wins worth a combined total of $800 million.

Administration moves to terminate some DOD programs

The Obama Administration’s fiscal 2010 budget request for the Defense Department would kill or substantially alter about 50 major programs.

Boeing unit pulls in special ops UAS deal

A Boeing Co. unit has won a large contract from the U.S. Special Operations Command to deliver a mid-endurance unmanned aircraft system.

Lockheed team to develop surveillance radar

Lockheed Martin Corp. has won a prime contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to design, build and flight test a model of a high-altitude, autonomous airship featuring advanced radar for theaterwide surveillance and tracking.

GAO: Costs, delays seen in weapons programs

A recent Government Accountability Office report reveals continuing high development costs and delays in many of the DOD’s major programs.

Northrop wins navigation technology contract

Devices for Korean military vehicles combine inertial sensors with an odometer and GPS data to provide accurate three-dimensional position.

BAE to acquire unmanned aircraft maker

BAE Systems Inc. intends to acquire Advanced Ceramics Research Inc., a provider of small unmanned aircraft systems.

DHS considers unmanned vehicles for SBInet

DHS is considering using $100 million in stimulus funds to add unmanned aerial vehicles to the SBInet virtual fence system.

iRobot wins more Army bomb disposal work

Troops use the robots to investigate suspicious objects from a safe distance.