Gecko’s suite of technologies ensures data integrity by collecting and integrating full-coverage, high-fidelity data layers. | Source: Gecko Robotics
Gecko Robotics this week said it has earned an additional $300 million its contract with the U.S. Navy and General Services Administration. With the increase, the U.S. Navy and GSA have quadrupled the ceiling value on Gecko’s contract for slashing maintenance delays and improving fleet readiness. The news came just six months after an initial $71 million IDIQ contract award.
This fourfold expansion will accommodate rapid robotic deployment across the Navy and is one of the strongest public endorsements yet of operational AI and robotics in defense, claimed Gecko Robotics. The Pittsburgh-based company claimed that this showed the Pentagon’s confidence that it is delivering a core military capability of producing results, not experimental technology.
“The conversation around AI and robotics in defense is no longer about experimental technology. It’s about delivering measurable and impactful returns,” said Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics.
“With savings of millions of dollars per ship, months of inspections turning into days, and warships returning to sea faster, the U.S. Navy is demonstrating to the world how to deploy technology at scale,” he added. “We’re proud to give our service members the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats.”
Gecko said its AI and robotic technology can save the U.S. Navy up to $8 million in repair costs per ship and return vessels to sea quicker. It does this by identifying structural issues up to 50 times faster than traditional methods, reducing inspections from months to days.
Komodo scans through deck coating without stripping them
Central to the expansion is Komodo, a proprietary Gecko robotic technology system. Komodo scans through thick, non-skid deck coatings without stripping or damaging them, giving the Navy the ability to see the health of assets without taking it apart.
It produces a full-deck heatmap of corrosion and material thickness, enabling repair teams to pinpoint damage and plan work before a ship enters drydock, which was previously possible only after maintenance had begun.
The ceiling increase comes as the Department of the Navy places greater emphasis on fleet readiness as a national security priority. Each additional day a warship spends in maintenance reduces its ability to deter adversaries, respond to crises, and project power around the world, said the Navy. The chief of naval operations has set a target of 80% fleet readiness, which Gecko will have a crucial role in helping to meet.
Gecko’s wall-climbing robots, drones, and fixed-sensors collect an unprecedented amount of data on the health of U.S. Navy ships and submarines, including components, hulls, decks and welds, with AI being used to create accurate models to identify any current and future structural issues, even ones that cannot be seen by the human eye.
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