The United States Bomb Technician Association (USBTA) has been asked to assist the Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security (CISA) Office for Bombing Prevention (OBP), the EOD Technology Center (EODTECHCEN) at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head (NSWC IHD) and Sandia National Labs (SNL) in finding potential technologies to include in their 2025 National Robot Rodeo (NRR). The NRR is a multi-agency, international event that exposes active members of military and public safety bomb squads to robotics and EOD/Bomb Disposal/CBRNE technologies and capabilities. These include platforms, sensors, payloads, X-Ray, access, neutralization, etc. Any participating technology will be showcased inside challenging scenario(s) and tasks that are designed to not only challenge bomb technicians but also highlight the technologies and capabilities that might assist them operationally.
This year, the NRR will be conducted in Pueblo, Colorado, from August 11th to 15th . MxV Rail will host the event at its Operation and Training Center (OTC) and Security and Response Training Center (SERTC) locations. MxV Rail’s multi-campus facility is located at the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity-West (formerly Pueblo Chemical Depot), a leased property owned by CMA West and PuebloPlex-the local redevelopment authority. Any selected technology/capability provider will be expected to participate in the NRR event dry run planned for Sunday August 10th.
The focus of the NRR remains pairing Unmanned Systems (UxS) capabilities and supporting technologies with the operational community, within relevant, real-world scenarios. All technology providers will be given the opportunity to receive real-time feedback as well as a follow-up report on their technologies performance within the NRR event. The NRR stakeholders are interested in any UxS or supporting technology that is or could provide utility within EOD & Public Safety Bomb Squad mission space.
A summary video of the 2024 Event is linked below.
https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3901788/national-robot-rodeo-ropes-in-emerging-eod-technologies/
All technology submissions are welcome interested technology areas include but are not limited to:
- Detect, Locate, Access, Diagnose, Neutralize/Render Safe, Recover, Exploit, Dispose
- Maritime and Underwater (Shallow Water) Platforms and Payloads
- AI/ML and AR/VR – Automated Threat Recognition (ATR), Threat Classification, Augmented Training and Operations, etc.
- Platforms and Payloads (all domains)
- Sensors and Detection
- Secure and Agile Communications
- (Semi) Autonomy and Multi-Agent Collaboration
- Manned-Unmanned Teaming
- Mapping and Data Fusion
- Challenging Environments (low light, GPS denied, cluttered, extreme weather, etc)
- 3D Printed Tools/Payloads
- Remote Energetic Tools and Precision Aiming
- Advanced Command and Control (e.g. Haptics, Wearable, etc)
If you are interested in participating in the 2025 NRR, please respond via email with your technology descriptions to Amber Lowe alowe@usbta.us no later than Friday, 28 March 2025. Once a list of interested providers and technologies are compiled, the NRR Stakeholders will select participating companies, and everyone will be notified. Any questions on the desired technologies or the event overall can be sent to Amber Lowe alowe@usbta.us.
