WALTHAM, Mass., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Foster-Miller, Inc., announced
today that an additional $20 million worth of TALON(R) robots and
replacement parts have been ordered by the Naval Air Systems Command
(NAVAIR) on behalf of the Robotic Systems Joint Program Office (RSJPO), for
immediate use by "robot hospitals" in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funds have
been released from a $63.4 million IDIQ (indefinite delivery, indefinite
quantity) contract with the Navy -- one of two that Foster-Miller has for
TALON robots and replacement parts.
"Robot hospitals" in Iraq and Afghanistan fix TALON robots damaged by
defusing or destroying IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and put them
back into service within four hours. They are staffed by Army, Marine and
Navy maintenance and repair technicians whose mission is to get TALONs back
into the hands of troops by rebuilding them with a combination of
replacement parts and usable parts scavenged from other damaged TALON
robots.
"The insurgents have been intensifying their attacks on the robots
because they know if they can disable the robot, the soldiers will have to
go out and defuse the IED themselves," says Dr. William Ribich, President
and CEO of Foster-Miller. "The personnel in the robot hospitals step up to
every fresh challenge and do whatever it takes to meet their four-hour
turnaround time."
Foster-Miller currently has two IDIQ contracts with the Navy for TALON
robots and replacement parts. The Navy is the central procurement entity
that buys robots for all branches of the service. Last week, Foster-Miller
announced the release of another $22.8 million from its nine-year, $257
million IDIQ from the Navy Explosive Ordnance Technology Division
(NAVEODTECHDIV) for more TALON robots and replacement parts for the EOD
(explosive ordnance disposal) teams working in Iraq and Afghanistan.
About Foster-Miller
Foster-Miller, Inc. is an engineering, manufacturing and technology
development firm principally located in suburban Boston, MA on Rte. 95,
"America's Technology Highway." It is certified to Aerospace Quality
Management Standard AS9100 and has SW-CMM Level 3 software certification
from the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.
Foster-Miller was founded in 1956 by three graduates of MIT who believed
there was a need for a company that could solve clients' difficult
technical problems through first-class analysis and design. In November
2004, it became an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of QinetiQ North
America (QNA). Visit http://www.foster-miller.com for further information.
SOURCE Foster-Miller, Inc.
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.foster-miller.com
CONTACT:
Cynthia Black, +1-781-684-4093
|
