Dell announced today that it has launched a new fully rugged laptop called the Latitude E6400 XFR. The machine is designed to meet 13 different military specifications (MIL STD 810F) that include being able to withstand drops, sea fog, temperature extremes, thermal shock and explosive environments to name a few.

Dell says the machine owes its rugged design to a system it calls Ballistic Armor Protection System featuring a Dell exclusive material called PR481. Dell says that PR481 has twice the impact strength of magnesium alloy, 25% higher drop specification of up to four feet, and maintains structural stability at temperature extremes.

The protection system also includes tech Dell refers to as PrimoSeal that enhances protection from dust and liquids via a compression gasket with an IP-65 rating. Dell says that the rugged machine shares many of the same components with the Latitude E6400 notebook allowing it to be integrated into existing environments easily.

To keep the system cool in extreme temperatures, Dell uses a QuadCool Thermal Management system. Graphics are via NVIDIA's Quadro NVS 160M GPU with 256MB of DDR2 RAM. The battery of the machine uses ExpressCharge technology for faster recharge times in the field and the machine is 2.2-inches thick and starts at 8.5 pounds. The screen is 14.1-inches and uses DirectVue technology for better readability in sunlight. Pricing for the Dell E6400 XFR starts at $4,299.

According to Dell, despite the poor economy we can expect to see more new computers soon. Dell's CFO said that the company is planning to add more netbook models.