Anduril’s Autonomous Weapons Face Setbacks in Testing and Combat
▼ Summary
– Anduril Industries experienced multiple testing failures with its autonomous weapons systems, including malfunctioning drone boats and an unmanned jet fighter with mechanical issues.
– A test of Anduril’s Anvil counterdrone system in August caused a 22-acre fire in Oregon, adding to the company’s reported setbacks.
– Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, Anduril raised $2.5 billion at a $30.5 billion valuation in June and has secured numerous military contracts for autonomous systems.
– In Ukraine, Anduril’s Altius loitering drones reportedly crashed and missed targets, leading Ukrainian forces to stop using them in 2024.
– Anduril contends that its challenges are typical in weapons development, with its engineering team making progress and no underlying flaws in its technology.
Recent evaluations of autonomous weaponry developed by Anduril Industries have encountered significant operational hurdles, drawing attention to the complex challenges facing next-generation defense systems. During a Navy exercise off the California coast in May, more than a dozen of the company’s drone boats malfunctioned, prompting sailors to raise alarms about safety infractions and possible life-threatening scenarios. Separately, a ground test of the Fury unmanned jet fighter during the summer resulted in mechanical damage to its engine. In August, a trial of the Anvil counterdrone system in Oregon sparked a blaze that consumed twenty-two acres of land.
Established in 2017 by entrepreneur Palmer Luckey, Anduril secured $2.5 billion in funding this past June, achieving a valuation of $30.5 billion. The investment round was spearheaded by Founders Fund, which played a key role in the firm’s early development. Over the years, the defense technology startup has been awarded multiple military contracts, covering projects for autonomous aircraft and counter-drone solutions.
Beyond domestic testing difficulties, reports indicate that Anduril’s deployment in Ukraine has also been fraught with issues. Ukrainian troops from the SBU security service observed that Altius loitering drones frequently crashed and missed their intended targets. These performance shortcomings were reportedly so pronounced that Ukrainian forces discontinued their use earlier this year and have not reintroduced them into service. Anduril has responded by stating that such obstacles are common in weapons development, emphasizing that its engineering teams continue to make substantial headway. The company asserts that these individual incidents do not reflect any fundamental defects in its technological approach.
(Source: TechCrunch)
