Oriskany, NY –
As a longtime event supporter and stakeholder, Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) played a key role in the 2026 National Robot Rodeo (NRR) held in Oriskany, New York, August 17-21. The event challenged dozens of participants over 10 teams from military, public safety and international explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) organizations to compete in real-world operational scenarios showcasing the latest in EOD industry technologies.
Determining the best tools to put in the hands of EOD operators has long been a mission at NSWC IHD and utilizing the NRR has become a critical pathway to achieving that goal. The NRR celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, with more vendors and participants in attendance than ever before. The event also displayed more than 85 pieces of EOD technologies, equipment and hardware, which surpassed previous years’ exhibitions (an over 200% increase between the 2024 and the 2026 event).
“Since its inception in 2016, the National Robot Rodeo has evolved from a modest and exceptionally challenging inaugural effort into a nationally recognized premier event. The first Rodeo was executed by a two-person team operating with extremely limited manpower, resources and vendor support, making the planning and delivery of the event particularly demanding,” said Dale King, a lead from the initial event team and current Air Base Technology (ABT)-IV Technical Manager at Air Force Civil Engineer Center (AFCEC) Research and Development and Acquisition Branch.
“From those difficult beginnings, the event has grown substantially,” he said. “Today, 41 industry partners provide equipment and operational support, joined by several associate agencies whose continued collaboration has helped elevate the Rodeo into a premier forum for innovation, testing and the collection of valuable feedback that continues to advance the field.”
NSWC IHD has been involved in NRR since the beginning developing a role as observer, technology provider, to stakeholder. Sustaining the stakeholder position for the past six years, NSWC IHD has led in the advancement of the event, spearheading design and organizing feedback into technical information that informs requirements and operational needs of EOD warfighters. The outcome is seen in the field throughout Joint-Service EOD and public safety.
“Operators evaluating the practical application of technology at the NRR are able to provide feedback up their chain that has a direct impact on acquisition by the services," said Vandiver Hood, chief operating officer at the United States Bomb Technician Association (USBTA) and a retired U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant). “We can see what technologies are ready and the direction they are going regarding modifications and enhancements for the future. The feedback is valuable for what is useful, effective, and ready.”
The event has garnered traction within the EOD industry community, providing insight into the operational needs of the EOD warfighter. “The value of the event speaks for itself. Vendors are using NRR as a milestone towards getting their technology fielded to the EOD user,” said NSWC IHD Battle Lab Division Director Owen Burns.
The DoD’s EOD Technology Center at NSWC IHD provides Joint-Service cradle-to-grave technology support and testing and evaluation of commercial off-the-shelf and developmental systems to protect the EOD warfighter. The event was hosted by the United States Bomb Technician Association and included other NRR supporters such as the AFCEC, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency Office for Bombing Prevention, and the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
NSWC IHD — a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command and part of the Navy’s Science and Engineering Establishment — is the leader in ordnance, energetics, and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support, manufacturing and disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access, identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance threats.