New robots planned for bomb disposal teams.

• Author: Jean, Grace V.

Explosive ordnance disposal teams in the next few years will acquire a new family of specially developed robots to fight IEDs, or improvised explosive devices.

But as the Navy develops the next-generation robots, technology experts worry that the effort is too reminiscent of the Army's failed Future Combat Systems program--a multi-billion dollar project intended to modernize the ground force's vehicles and develop robots and sensors that would all be networked. Plagued by cost overruns, schedule delays and technical difficulties, the program was canceled in 2009.

Robot developers are warning that a similar fate could be in store for the program because of the way it is structured. Its "breakout" approach of developing the new EOD robots by component and then integrating the resulting technology has a poor history in military programs. Not only does it put an already fragile industrial base at risk, but it also could cost more in time, money and effort than anticipated, they said.

"We think it's highly risky and we don't understand at all why they're mimicking the FCS fiscal disaster," said Bob Quinn, vice president of unmanned systems at QinetiQ North America, which manufactures the Talon robot.

The advanced EOD robotic system comprises a family of robots that will replace the Defense Department's current inventory, which is scheduled to begin retiring in 2017, said Master Gunnery Sgt Greg Carroll of the Marine Corps detachment at the Naval EOD Technology Division. The division manages the joint service EOD program and tests and approves equipment for EOD teams.

"We are looking for a giant leap in capability," he said. Program managers are seeking robotic systems with advanced, interchangeable features that are not currently available in the commercial market.

The family of robots is broken into three increments. Increment one, a backpackable robot, will be fielded beginning in 2014. It will replace the iRobot 310 small unmanned ground vehicle. Increment two, the manual transportable robot intended to replace the iRobot MK 1 PackBot and QinetiQ/Foster-Miller MK 2 Talon, will start deliveries in 2017. Increment three, the largest robot, will replace the 700-pound MK 3 remote ordnance neutralization system made by Remotec, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corp.

"Our plan is to have three different chassis and have all these interchangeable parts and pieces between the three robots," Carroll said.

Technicians complain that while the PackBot...