L3Harris Technologies has delivered four T7 ground drones to the US Air Force to support the service’s explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) program.
The handover builds on an $85 million contract awarded in 2021 for 56 units of the robotic system. This year, the air force requested 51 additional T7s.
“The world’s most capable robot for challenging EOD tasks where speed and precision is required, the T7 will help safeguard Air Force EOD operators as they mitigate explosive threats around the globe,” L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems President Ed Zoiss said.
“We’re keenly aware of what’s at stake for these operators and constantly refine and enhance our robotic systems to minimize risk and maximize utility during these dangerous, no-fail missions.”
The T7
According to L3Harris, the T7 ground drones will replace the US Air Force’s 20-year-old F6A robotic systems.
Considered a “major upgrade,” the T7 provides improved lift, extended battery life, more substantial reach, and faster navigation.
Users can control the robot through a controller with haptic feedback for human-like dexterity and better precision during disposal missions.
Multi-Purpose Robot
L3Harris delivered a T7 system to the US Air Force for fielding and EOD training in August.
“It combines the capabilities of a lot of the various robots we have into one usable platform,” 96th Civil Engineer Squadron Senior Airman Shae Barnard explained during the orientation.
“In situations we deploy our robots into, we want to interrupt our environment as little as possible while trying to achieve the objective. When you have a robot this well designed and capable, it makes our job easier and safer.”
EOD Drones in the UK
In 2021, L3Harris completed the delivery of 122 T7 ground drones to the UK Ministry of Defence.
The robotic systems replaced the country’s remote-controlled EOD fleet in use since 1995.