A tactical explosive ordinance disposal robot being developed by the U.S. Navy has gotten Milestone B approval to enter an engineering and manufacturing phase.

The robot is part of the Advance Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robotic System program. It is a medium-sized robot that can be transported in an EOD response team vehicle and can be carried by two technicians over a moderate distance.

The primary mission focus of this robot variant is in-depth reconnaissance and wide-range item prosecution.

The Navy said it is to replace the EOD Man Transportable Robotic System that entered full rate production in 2005.

Other variant robots in the AEODRS are the Dismounted Operations system, which can be carried in a backpack and primarily used for reconnaissance, and a Base/Infrastructure Operations system, which would require transportation via a large response vehicle/trailer.

The baseline system is for maximum load/lift capabilities and the widest-range of EOD neutralization capabilities.

The Navy said the AEODRS program follows an interoperable approach and is based on government common architecture that utilizes common physical, electrical, and logical interfaces.

"Through the adoption of this modular, open architecture approach across all three increments (variants) we will be better able to integrate emergent technologies and improve overall capability of EOD warfighters," said Capt. Aaron Peters, program manager, NAVSEA Expeditionary Missions Program Office.