QinetiQ PLC (LON:QQ.) has announced that it's North America unit (QNA) has won the competition for the delivery of small ground robots for the US Army, with the contract valued up to US$164mln.
The FTSE 250-listed firm said the seven-year contract for the US Army's Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) program is on an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) basis.
READ: QinetiQ buys military training group Inzpire for £23.5m
It added that the deal includes a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase worth approximately US$20mln over one-to-two years, followed by a series of annual production releases, with QNA awarded a US$4mln initial order as part of the LRIP phase.
The group said the CRS(I) robot is designed to be back-packable and is equipped with advanced sensors and mission modules for dismounted forces to enhance mission capabilities. CRS(I) features an interoperability profile (IOP) compatible open architecture to support a variety of payloads and missions to detect, identify, and counter hazards.
Significant win
It pointed out that this significant win for small ground robots builds on QNA's recent contract awards for the Route Clearance Interrogation System program (RCIS) and Phase II of the Common Robotic System-Heavy program (CRS-H).
Jeff Yorsz, president of QinetiQ North America commented: "Providing robust, reliable, and exceptionally capable ground robots to support our armed services has been a driving passion at QNA for decades now.
"Our CRS(I) robot combines performance, intuitive control, and easy transport with a very competitive price point. This will redefine the market for next-generation back-packable robots."
in late morning trading, QinetiQ shares in London were 0.2% higher at 306.80p.
-- Adds share price --