DRS And Autonomous Solutions Form Strategic Partnership To Develop Technology To Protect Troops From Roadside Explosives

DRS Technologies Inc., a Leonardo-Finmeccanica Company, announced today that it has signed a strategic teaming agreement with Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI), a leading provider of robotic vehicle technologies, to develop automated solutions for the US military's route-clearance vehicles.

This alliance combines ASI's expertise in vehicle automation with DRS engineering production capabilities, market presence and customer awareness.  The companies will begin working on the U.S. Army's emerging Route Clearance Interrogation System (RCIS) Type I program, which involves automation of the High Mobility Engineering Excavator (HMEE) platform.

"We are very excited to work with ASI to offer our customer automated solutions that increase safety by eliminating the need for soldiers to man systems on the battlefield in route-clearance missions. Leveraging ASI's proven technology will allow DRS to provide rapid, reliable, and cost-effective solutions to the warfighter while continuing our legacy of meeting the challenging needs of our customers," said Joseph Matteoni, vice president and general manager of DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc.

The RCIS program is expected to provide the Army with the option to remotely operate the Army-legacy HMEE Type I vehicle in an unmanned mode. In the unmanned mode, the RCIS Type I will be wirelessly controlled by an operator located in a separate control vehicle.