Army Expo Showcases Robot Dog, Drone Killers as Pentagon Races to Keep Pace With Autonomous Warfare
At the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting in Washington, defense firms displayed robotic ground systems, drone interceptors and electronic jammers as the service reorganizes around lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East.
A four-legged robot designed to walk into buildings and tunnels ahead of soldiers was among the most visible displays at the U.S. Army's largest annual conference in Washington this week, as defense companies and military leaders confront a battlefield where drones and counter-drone systems are reshaping priorities.
The system, called Scout, is built by defense technology company Ondas to send imagery back to an operator while moving into potentially dangerous spaces. «The whole concept is that if the Scout takes fire, it's better than the soldier,» CEO Eric Brock said during a demonstration at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting.
The expo floor was crowded with drones, interceptors and autonomous platforms, reflecting what Army Under Secretary Mike Obadal described as procurement priorities shaped by recent conflicts. «If you walk around the hall at AUSA, it'll give you a good indication of the Army's priorities,» Obadal said ahead of the conference. «Our priorities are reflected in what we're procuring.»
The service this month announced a new Futures and Autonomous Systems Command tasked with accelerating autonomous capabilities across formations including aviation, armor, fires, sustainment and reconnaissance. It also expanded drone and counter-drone marketplaces meant to let the U.S. and its allies buy pre-approved systems in days rather than months. War Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the conference that the department is working toward a four-star-led Autonomous Warfare Command.
Ondas used the event to show a layered set of tools. Its IonStrike kinetic interceptor is designed to physically chase down incoming drones, including Shahed-class one-way attack weapons, using onboard guidance to pursue a detected threat. Brock said newer versions of the threat are faster and harder for defenses built around earlier, slower drones to defeat. «The faster moving Shaheds now need more autonomous systems,» he said. «So this system is designed to be very fast.»
The company also demonstrated its handheld Dronebuster, which uses electronic warfare to jam or spoof communications and navigation links rather than destroying a drone physically. A longer-range version is under contract for delivery to the Office of Naval Research for testing and evaluation. The combination illustrates why counter-drone warfare is becoming layered: electronic attack may work against one type of drone, while another operating without a vulnerable radio link may require a physical interceptor.
Brock described the dynamic as a constant contest. «It's always a cat and mouse game, and we do have to be looking down the field,» he said. He pointed to Ukraine, where defenders have developed increasingly effective ways to counter Shahed-type drones used by Russia, while Russia and its suppliers have worked to make those weapons faster and harder to stop.
The rapid cycle is pressing against a Pentagon acquisition system historically accustomed to developing major weapons over years or decades. The Army used the conference to seek more affordable interceptor technology, offering up to $20 million through a competition focused on defeating air and missile threats at a more sustainable cost. Obadal said Ukraine had «cemented» counter-drone systems as a critical part of modern operations, and he predicted an «immense number» of drones and counter-UAS systems at the show.
Ondas has moved quickly to expand its role. Its Mistral subsidiary has secured more than $240 million in orders under the Army's $982 million Lethal Unmanned Systems contract, including an additional order worth more than $50 million announced in August. The company also acquired DZYNE Technologies this summer in a deal valued at roughly $875 million, adding drones and counter-drone weapons to its portfolio.
Brock said the lesson from recent conflicts is about volume as much as technology. «It's more about mass,» he said. «So we have to make these affordable, low cost, returnable systems, and we have to produce this to scale.» Ondas has also partnered with Palantir on software aimed at connecting sensors, drones, robotic platforms and command systems so they can operate as part of a larger autonomous network.
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