$8.8M for R&D Into Robots That Can Steer Themselves

DID covered the future of land robots recently, and noted the challenges inherent in autonomously-steered robots as envisoned in the Future Combat System. Well, Defense Technologies Inc. in Ranlo, NC received an $8.8 million ceiling-priced indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract for basic and applied research leading to the development of a prototype Intelligent Autonomous Unmanned Controls Station System.
Work will be performed in Ranlo, N.C. (70%) and Patuxent River, Md. (30%), and is expected to be completed in June 2008. This contract was competitively procured under a Broad Agency Announcement; one proposal was received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD, issued the contract (N00421-05-D-0055).