The US Army has chosen AM General, American Rheinmetall, Carnegie Robotics, HDT Robotics, and Stratom to develop prototype medium-sized autonomous robotic vehicles aimed at transforming tactical battlefield logistics. The effort is part of Project Sustainment, an initiative focused on improving autonomous resupply capabilities for future military operations.
Led by the Capability Program Executive Office Mission Autonomy, the program is designed to keep troops away from high-risk logistics routes while maintaining uninterrupted 24-hour supply operations in contested environments. Prototype testing with operational Army units is scheduled to begin in early 2027.
Project Sustainment expands on the experience gained from the Army’s S-MET and M-MET robotic transport programs. The S-MET system functions as a robotic mule that carries heavy equipment for dismounted soldiers, enhancing mobility while supporting missions such as casualty evacuation, surveillance, engineering, and remote weapon integration. The follow-on M-MET program was developed to provide greater payload capacity before its requirements were merged into Project Sustainment.
One of the selected companies, BLADE (formerly HDT Robotics), has introduced the Dire WOLF autonomous platform. Derived from the WOLF-X robotic combat vehicle, the six-wheel diesel-electric hybrid is built to transport heavy cargo across rugged terrain using pivot steering and airless Michelin Tweels. It can negotiate steep inclines, broad gaps, and two-foot obstacles while supplying exportable electrical power to frontline operations.
