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Explosive ordnance disposal remains one of the most dangerous missions on the modern battlefield. Even when technicians do everything right, repeated exposure to blast waves can take a serious toll. Over the past decade, growing medical evidence has linked blast overpressure to traumatic brain injuries, chronic pain, and long-term mental health issues among EOD personnel. As scrutiny increases, militaries are under pressure to reduce how often humans must approach live explosives at close range.
One response is to push more of that risk onto machines. The US Navy and Marine Corps have now moved to expand their use of heavy-duty bomb disposal robots, awarding a new contract for tracked unmanned systems designed to handle hazardous devices remotely. The robots will begin entering service this year, reinforcing a shift toward greater stand-off in explosive disposal operations.
According to Defense Scoop, the platform selected is a large, tracked ground robot weighing roughly 322 kgs. It is built to approach, inspect, manipulate, and neutralize improvised explosive devices and other dangerous materials while operators remain at a safe distance. Unlike earlier generations of bomb disposal robots used during the height of counterinsurgency operations, the system is designed for more demanding environments and complex tasks, reducing the need for repeated human intervention near explosive threats.
From a defense and force-protection perspective, the timing of the acquisition is significant. Renewed research into blast overpressure has highlighted how even “controlled” detonations can have cumulative health effects. By increasing reliance on remote systems, armed forces aim to limit repeated exposure for a small but highly specialized community that has historically borne a disproportionate physical and psychological burden.
The new deliveries build on earlier adoption of similar robotic systems across other branches, signaling that remote EOD is becoming standard rather than supplementary. While robots cannot eliminate all risk—human judgment is still required at every stage—they can dramatically reduce proximity to danger and the frequency of blast exposure.
More broadly, the award reflects a continuing trend in ground operations: using robust unmanned systems to absorb the most hazardous tasks. As militaries rethink training practices and operational concepts to address long-term health outcomes, advanced EOD robots are emerging not just as convenience tools, but as essential elements of modern force protection.
