Canadian Forces Ordering Vanguard UGVs for Bomb Disposal

Vanguard Mk2 ROV(click to view full) The USA has led the way in robots for explosives/ordnance disposal, but interest from allies is growing. Now Allen-Vanguard Corp. of Ottawa, Canada has been selected for the Canadian Forces (CF) 5-year “MINI-ROV” program by the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND). Ultimate quantities and contract values including in-service support over the life of the program are not yet established, but the initial order for its Vanguard Mk2 ROV robots is valued at CDN$ 3.7 million, with an option for additional robot orders at a value of CDN$ 1.6 million. The Company expects to fulfill the initial order in the first half of its 2007 fiscal year commencing October 1st, 2006. The Vanguard Mk2 ROV is a smaller, lower-end military/civilian UGV, as opposed to the firm’s larger and more capable BombTec Defender D2. Instead, the Vanguard emphasizes portability, modularity and field maintenance, and low cost. This combination won it an award in an evaluation of competing robots for the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) of the USA’s National Institute of Justice. The TSWG is the U.S. national forum that identifies, prioritizes, and coordinates interagency and international research and development (R&D) requirements for combating terrorism. […]