Gecko Robotics quadruples U.S. Navy contract to $300M to support military readiness

Gecko Robotics, a Pittsburgh-based organization that says it combines advanced robotics and AI-powered software to build, operate and modernize the world’s most critical infrastructure, announced that the U.S. Navy and GSA have quadrupled the ceiling value on its contract for slashing maintenance delays and improving fleet readiness to $300 million,

The company said that the expansion comes just six months after it was awarded an initial $71m IDIQ contract.

Gecko Robotics expands robotics for the U.S. Navy

Gecko Robotics said that 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, signaling the Pentagon’s confidence that it is a core military capability that is delivering results, not experimental technology.

The company said that 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 sooner by identifying structural issues up to 50 times faster than traditional methods - reducing inspections from months to days.

“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. We’re proud to give our service members the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats.”

Gecko said that central to this expansion is Komodo, a proprietary robotic technology system. The company said that 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 them apart. Gecko said that Komodo 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 company said that the ceiling increase comes as the Department of the Navy places greater emphasis on fleet readiness as a national security priority, as every additional day a warship spends in maintenance reduces its ability to deter adversaries, respond to crises and project power around the world. The Chief of Naval Operations has set a target of 80% fleet readiness, which Gecko said it will have a crucial role in helping to meet.

Gecko said that its 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. The company said it utilizes AI to create accurate models that identify any current and future structural issues, including those hidden to the human eye.

Additionally, Gecko Robotics and Square Robot partnered to use robotic inspection and ultrasonic data to generate targeted maintenance and fuel tank inspections for Tristar Guam.