The U.S. Army is increasingly interested in small unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), with the Ukraine war demonstrating their utility for cargo transport, reconnaissance, barricade breaching, wounded personnel evacuation, and engaging enemy combatants. Crow Industries' Fenris rover, weighing 700-1,500 pounds and carrying up to 500 pounds, has been used by the Army since September 2024.
This compact, low-cost UGV is designed to be expendable for high-risk missions, de-risking battlefield capabilities. Brig. Gen. Anthony Gibbs confirms the Army's pursuit of commercial autonomous robotics to enhance readiness and address capability gaps. Retired Army Col. Ben Fernandes emphasizes UGVs as the "first line of defense or attack" for "dull, dirty, and dangerous" tasks, envisioning a "forward line of robots" doctrine. Despite initial Army leadership resistance to smaller UGVs over larger models like HDT Global's Hunter WOLF (3,600 pounds) or Textron Systems’ Ripsaw M3 (8 tons), Ukraine's success accelerated adoption. Crowell anticipates fully unmanned military units within five years, enabled by small, modular UGVs.
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