Kodiak AI is putting artificial intelligence behind the wheel of the US Marine Corps’ ground platforms, integrating its autonomous driving system into the service’s joint light tactical vehicles.
Leading the way is the Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires) carrier vehicle, which will use the company’s “Kodiak Driver” to operate autonomously and support high-risk missions.
The system is expected to accelerate ROGUE-Fires operations while keeping troops out of harm’s way.
Kodiak said it is leveraging its existing autonomous framework rather than building a new system from scratch, signaling the technology is field-ready.
“The Kodiak Driver is a powerful dual-use capability that leverages physical AI to strengthen defense readiness through scalable and adaptive applications,” Kodiak Founder Don Burnette said.
“We have extensively tested our autonomous system in our prior efforts with the military and believe this work with the Marine Corps allows us to further showcase how Kodiak’s technology performs in unstructured and unmapped environments.”
A ‘Trusted’ Partner
Kodiak is keeping details of its US Marine Corps contract under wraps, but the company brings experience from a prior $30 million, three-year autonomous program for the US Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle.
In executing that contract, the company tested its systems in real-world, off-road conditions, navigating grasslands, deserts, and even snowy terrain to simulate combat environments.
“This work with the US Marine Corps is the latest that underscores Kodiak’s role as a trusted autonomy partner for the defense sector,” Kodiak stated.
