Clearer military requirements could unlock UGV market growth
Western armies continue to test uncrewed ground vehicles, but wider procurement will depend on turning ambitions for autonomy into defined operational roles and funded requirements.
Alion signs US DoD C-IED development contract
Alion Science and Technology will work with the US Department of Defence (DoD) in an engineering and science and technology expertise capacity to develop next-generation counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) capabilities. The company announced a $17.7 million task order for the work on 8 April.
The US DoD currently develops a number of systems to counter the IED threat to warfighters in theatres around the world.
Systems development focuses on applications that detect and neutralise mines, mine fields and unexploded ordnance; while technology development focuses on personnel protection, handheld detectors, wide area detection, mechanical clearance, vegetation clearance and mine awareness.
This contract will see Alion support the conception, prototyping, improving and experimenting with technologies, devices and systems, to find the next-generation solutions. This will include efforts to improve warfighters’ situational awareness, to enable soldiers to better identify, defeat and bypass explosive threats.
Terri Spoonhour, senior vice president and distributed simulation group manager, Alion, said: ‘The services we will provide under the task order will enable the DoD to detect and neutralise explosive hazards wherever our forces are deployed. This will ultimately save lives and ensure our units accomplish their critical missions.’
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