Gecko Robotics Wins Major US Navy Contract for Robotic Systems

The U.S. Navy has signed its largest robotics contract to date, aiming to employ robots for enhanced fleet maintenance.

Gecko Robotics, a Pittsburgh-based firm specializing in robots and sensors for inspecting major industrial infrastructure, announced a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) agreement with the U.S. Navy and the General Services Administration (GSA) on Tuesday. The contract begins with an initial $54 million award and carries a ceiling value of $71 million.

The Navy will utilize Gecko's robots and sensors to track the condition and operational status of its assets and ship fleets, beginning with 18 vessels in the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Gecko founder and CEO Jake Loosararian explained to TechCrunch that the company's robots will meticulously crawl through every compartment of the ships to generate a precise digital replica—often termed a "digital twin"—of each vessel. The accompanying software will assist the Navy in monitoring these assets and prescribing maintenance, aiming to proactively address issues, shorten maintenance durations, and lower costs.

"Once you build that digital model using robotic systems to capture the health and condition of these assets, along with digitizing their environment, you can dramatically speed up decision-making and repairs," Loosararian said. "The goal is to create a dynamic, living model that helps reduce the future days these assets must spend out of service."

This contract supports the Navy's objective of achieving 80% fleet readiness by 2027. Currently, approximately 40% of the Navy's fleet is unavailable at any given time due to lengthy maintenance cycles.

"We're talking about $13 to $20 billion in annual maintenance costs," noted Loosararian. "When every available asset is crucial, this is a critical issue. These assets are also aging, which adds to the challenge."

Gecko has collaborated with the U.S. Navy for four years. The partnership began after a port engineer in Japan contacted the company for more information, leading to an evaluation and a proposed preventative maintenance plan. The Navy's positive response fostered a growing relationship, culminating in Tuesday's agreement.

"We are helping to ensure our critical assets remain operational for their maximum lifespan and avoid unexpected downtime," Loosararian stated. "I envision a future where ships don't undergo prolonged maintenance cycles because we continuously diagnose and address issues while they are deployed. That's the future I see, whether for military assets or industrial facilities like power plants."