Swarmbotics AI has been awarded a U.S. Army contract to develop attritable, swarming small unmanned ground vehicles in support of the 1st Cavalry Division.
The contract follows the company’s performance in the Army’s xTechOverwatch innovation competition, where its autonomous ground systems were evaluated alongside technologies from dozens of competing small businesses. Operating in swarms, the sUGVs are intended to enhance force multiplication by creating complex tactical challenges for adversaries at significantly lower cost than traditional platforms.
Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division participated in the evaluation of both ground and airborne autonomous systems, with testing supported by the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command and partner organizations.
Introduced in April 2025, xTechOverwatch seeks to accelerate the adoption of autonomous systems by partnering with small businesses developing AI-enabled robotics and sensor technologies. The Army reviewed more than 630 submissions and selected 40 finalists to demonstrate capabilities such as autonomous maneuver, overwatch positioning, and mission execution with limited human oversight.
Swarmbotics was named among the competition’s winners, alongside companies such as FieldAI Federal, Allen Control Systems, and AZAK. These firms demonstrated advanced autonomy, counter-UAS overwatch, and terrain-resilient robotics aligned with Army modernization efforts. Winning teams will embed prototype systems into Army training exercises from January 2026 through July 2027.
