The US Army has selected AM General, American Rheinmetall, Carnegie Robotics, HDT Robotics, and Stratom to develop prototype medium-sized autonomous robotic vehicles under Project Sustainment. The initiative is designed to enhance tactical battlefield logistics by enabling unmanned resupply missions while reducing soldier exposure to high-risk supply routes. Led by the Capability Program Executive Office Mission Autonomy, the program focuses on maintaining continuous 24-hour logistics support in contested environments. Prototype evaluations with operational Army units are scheduled to begin in 2027. Project Sustainment builds on lessons from earlier robotic transport programs, including S-MET and M-MET. The S-MET system provides robotic mobility support for dismounted troops by carrying equipment and supporting missions such as casualty evacuation, surveillance, engineering operations, and remote weapon integration. Among the proposed solutions is BLADE’s Dire WOLF autonomous platform, based on the WOLF-X robotic combat vehicle. The six-wheel diesel-electric hybrid vehicle is designed for heavy cargo transport across difficult terrain, using pivot steering and airless Michelin Tweels to overcome steep slopes, obstacles, and challenging battlefield conditions while providing exportable power for frontline operations.
