FLIR Defense hits milestone with 1,000th delivery of Centaur Robots to US Army


ELKRIDGE, Md., June 7, 2023 - In a milestone achievement, Teledyne FLIR Defense, a division of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, has successfully delivered the 1,000th unit of its highly utilized robot under the Man Transportable Robot System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) contract to the U.S. Army and other allied military services.
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The MTRS Inc II is a medium-sized Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) that delivers a crucial standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and neutralize hazards. (Picture source FLIR Defense)


The MTRS Inc II, colloquially known as Centaur®, is a ground robot developed and manufactured at the FLIR Defense facility in Elkridge, Maryland. It serves as an invaluable asset for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, assisting them in safely disabling improvised explosive devices, landmines, and unexploded ordnance, along with performing a host of other high-risk operations. Moreover, it can be swiftly equipped with various sensors and payloads to address different missions, including those involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

FLIR Defense, previously known as Endeavor Robotics, was chosen by the U.S. Army in 2017 to be the MTRS Inc. II system provider in a comprehensive multi-year program of record. Since that time, other military divisions have adopted the robot for their EOD units either as a fresh addition or a replacement for their existing unmanned ground systems. Over 1,800 MTRS Inc. II robots have been ordered by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, bringing the total contract value to more than $250 million.

"We are immensely proud that our Centaur robot has emerged as the most abundantly produced tactical unmanned ground vehicle utilized by America's military since the Gulf Wars," said Dr. JihFen Lei, Executive Vice President, and General Manager of FLIR Defense. "Our dedicated team, both here in Elkridge and globally, is committed to constructing advanced technology platforms that ensure the safety of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines during perilous missions."

The MTRS Inc II is a medium-sized Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) that delivers a crucial standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and neutralize hazards. Weighing approximately 160 pounds, this robust robot boasts an advanced visual/thermal camera suite for round-the-clock operation, a highly dexterous manipulator arm with over six feet of reach, and stair-climbing capability. It also accommodates modular payloads for CBRN detection and a range of other operations.