Late June, defense-tech company Overland AI announced it had secured a roughly $20 million dollar production contract with the U.S. Marine Corps for autonomous unmanned ground vehicles, or AUGVs, with delivery expected in early 2027.
The Marine Corps tells FOX the goal is to use the vehicles for missions such as moving ammunition and supplies while reducing risk to Marines.
Overland AI argues while aerial drones and other unmanned systems have become increasingly important on the battlefield, "wars are still won on the ground."
Describing the growing role of unmanned or autonomous ground vehicles, Overland AI Chief of Staff Chris Merz pointed to Ukraine, where he says the technology is being used more and more for combat.
So you cannot necessarily rely on distant comms to complete your mission," Okopal explained.