The U.S. Navy is expanding its use of robots that inspect warships for hidden damage, increasing a contract’s maximum value from $71 million to $300 million as it seeks to cut repair costs and get ships back to sea faster.
Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics announced the increase on Oct. 20, saying its technology could help reduce lengthy inspections and unnecessary repairs that keep ships out of service.
The increase does not mean the Navy has committed to spending $300 million. The five-year agreement allows government agencies to place orders up to that amount.
The contract ceiling was raised on Sept. 16 through a modification that obligated no additional funds, according to federal procurement records compiled by GovTribe. The database lists approximately $3.43 million obligated under an existing order….