MCLEAN, Va., May 7 (UPI) -- QinetiQ North America subsidiary Foster-Miller says it has delivered its 2,000th Talon roadside-bomb-disabling robot to the U.S. military.
The Talon robot technology, first deployed in 2000, is capable of detecting and disabling improvised explosive devices and other threats to the U.S. military without placing soldiers in harm's way. Foster-Miller officials say the milestone 2,000th delivery of the Talon to the U.S. military is the result of an increased demand and rapid escalation of production.
From 2000 to 2007 Foster-Miller produced 1,000 robots for the military. The production ramp-up resulted in another 1,000 of the Talon robots manufactured in the last 13 months.
Talon robots are deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, among other areas where the U.S. military faces hostile threats. Officials say the Talon is the most deployed IED-disabling robot used by the U.S. military.
"Our government and our company are dedicated to finding innovative solutions that better protect our warfighters," William Ribich, QinetiQ North America technology solutions group president, said in a statement. "The TALON robot has helped save thousands of explosive ordnance disposal and combat engineers from injury or possible death in the performance of their primary mission of disarming IEDs."
