New high-tech bomb disposal robots will provide greater
protection for soldiers and the public in a new deal for the
British Army.
50 of the T4 bomb disposal robots will be able to be used in
situations of bomb and hazardous material disposal, helping the
explosives team who attend thousands of call outs every year, all
over the country. This will greatly reduce the risk to service
personnel and the public when neutralising bomb and chemical
threats.
A £21 million contract with L3 Harris Technologies – based in
Tewkesbury - will deliver with the first T4 units before the end
of 2024.
Adept at navigating narrow urban spaces, with its tough all
terrain treads and adjustable manipulation arm, the T4 can
operate in narrow aisles of planes, trains and buses and can even
climb stairs.
Advanced controls, high-definition cameras and lightning-fast
datalinks will enable the operator of the T4 to perform complex
tasks like unzipping bags and opening glove boxes from a safe
distance.
We are ensuring that our Armed Forces have the best kit
available, and we have recently announced plans to spend 2.5% of
GDP on defence by 2030 – meaning an additional £75 billion spent
over the next six years
Minister for Defence Procurement, said:
Procuring this high tech robot means that we can provide our
forces with the tools they need to safely handle a range
explosive threats.
Rapidly delivering uncrewed systems, like the T4, that ensure our
armed forces can safely face future threats is a key part of our
Drone Defence Strategy.
Weighing in at just over 100kg, the T4s are significantly smaller
and nimbler than their bigger brother – the 300kg T7 UGV – and
will be used as the rapid response system for emergency
situations as its compact size means it can be transported in a
standard 4x4 vehicle.
However, both models use ‘advanced haptic feedback' which allow
operators to ‘feel' their way through the intricate process of
disarming devices from a safe distance, reducing the risk to life
of the explosive ordnance operators.
The systems, which underwent rigorous testing, have been
contracted by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), the
procurement arm of the UK MOD and include an initial three years
of in-service maintenance and repair support.
Major General Lizzie Faithfull-Davies, Director Land
Equipment at DE&S, said:
I'm incredibly proud of the project team at DE&S, who have
worked with their industry partner to harness available
cutting-edge technology and have identified a critical capability
that can respond to hostile explosive threats and help in keeping
the wider general public safe.
The T4's will enter service with the 29 EOD & Search Group
and the Diving Threat and Exploitation Group, Royal Gibraltar
Regiment (RG) and Cyprus Operational Support Unit (COSU).
Ed Zoiss, President, Space and Airborne Systems,
L3Harris, said:
The T4 EOD robots are the world's most capable robot for
operations in crowded and difficult environments like subways,
airports and even hospitals.
These highly advanced, durable robots provide best-in-class
mobility and uncompromised performance to protect human lives.
We're honoured to continue working with the U.K. Ministry of
Defence as they provide this technology to the British Army.
