AM General turns Humvee into autonomous drone carrier for US Army reconnaissance missions.

AM General displayed an advanced configuration of its HMMWV-derived unmanned ground vehicle integrated with the Xtend Nest launch pod at the AUSA 2026 annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Developed alongside Carnegie Robotics and Textron Systems for the U.S. Army's Medium Modular Equipment Transport program, the platform provides autonomous logistics support, equipment transport, and aerial reconnaissance deployment. The integration allows operators to establish forward aerial observation points while remaining outside direct threat zones.

At AUSA 2026, AM General's UGV showed its ability to carry and launch a Scorpio 1000 drone for aerial reconnaissance, route inspection, target detection and tracking, and surveillance in GPS-denied environments while keeping operators away from exposed positions. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

On October 12, 2026, AM General displayed a new configuration of its HMMWV-derived Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) at AUSA 2026 in Washington, D.C., with a new Xtend Nest launch pod capable of deploying Scorpio 1000 reconnaissance drones. Exhibited from October 12 to 14, this UGV combines a 13-Series chassis, a 250 hp turbocharged V8 diesel engine, autonomous driving systems, and a modular cargo deck rated for up to 2,722 kg. The Nest integration allows the UGV to establish an aerial reconnaissance launch point in a contested area and conduct observation while operators remain farther from potential threats. Developed with Carnegie Robotics and Textron Systems for the U.S. Army's Medium Modular Equipment Transport (M-MET) requirement, the AM General UGV is intended for ammunition resupply, equipment transport, robotic reconnaissance, counter-drone missions, and casualty evacuation. A U.S. Army-requested prototype is expected by January 2027, with the vehicle still undergoing development.

The project began on October 14, 2025, when AM General, Carnegie Robotics, and Textron Systems announced a cooperation on an autonomous logistics vehicle for transporting ammunition, fuel, water, batteries, and spare parts to forward units. AM General is responsible for the chassis, powertrain, and vehicle integration; Carnegie Robotics develops the autonomy software, sensor fusion, onboard computing, and non-weapon payload integration; and Textron Systems provides drive-by-wire controls, vehicle diagnostics, teleoperation, and weapons integration. Unveiled at AUSA Global Force on March 24, 2026, the UGV initially carried a Swarmbotics AI FireAnt ground robot and remote-controlled crane. Subsequent demonstrations incorporated Moog's MR SLED equipment dock and RIwP weapon turret in April, a Hornet remote weapon station in June, and XTEND NEST in October. The original M-MET concept also included hybrid-electric propulsion with more than 30 kW of exportable power, whereas the current demonstrator uses a conventional diesel powertrain.

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The UGV retains AM General's 13-Series chassis, derived from the HMMWV family introduced into U.S. military service in 1985, but replaces the original M998's naturally aspirated 6.2-liter diesel, producing 150 hp and 340 Nm, with a turbocharged 6.5-liter V8 producing 250 hp and more than 746 Nm. This represents 66.7% more power and over 119% more torque, improving movement with cargo loads exceeding 2 tonnes on gradients and soft ground. Common-rail injection, turbocharging, and intercooling improve the control of fuel delivery and the temperature of compressed air before combustion, while a six-speed automatic replaces the original three-speed transmission. The engine, which accepts diesel, JP-8, and F-24, will also equip the next-generation Humvee and the Hawkeye 105 mm artillery vehicle. AM General plans initial production of the modernized Humvee in late 2027, using a common powertrain to reduce component diversity across these vehicles and preserve the established HMMWV maintenance experience.

The UGV's autonomy system permits three operating modes. In direct remote driving, an operator remotely commands steering, braking, acceleration, and transmission selection through drive-by-wire controls; in supervised autonomous navigation, the vehicle follows an assigned route while personnel monitor its movement; and in leader-follower mode, one vehicle guides additional unmanned carriers through convoy messaging while onboard sensors maintain spacing and detect obstacles. Inertial navigation estimates position during GPS interference, sensor fusion supports localization, and onboard edge computing processes obstacle information without continuously transmitting sensor data to an operator. This allows local braking and route adjustments despite intermittent communications, although coordinating convoy movements and receiving new instructions can still require radio connectivity. The Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) architecture facilitates subsequent changes to sensors, communications equipment, and autonomy software as operational requirements change.

The UGV's reinforced cargo deck was initially rated for 2,268 kg, subsequently increasing to 2,722 kg in later configurations, a 20% increase. Adjustable L-track rails provide adjustable fastening positions for ammunition boxes, fuel containers, water supplies, batteries, spare parts, and mission equipment, while a wireless remote-controlled T-boom crane assists with loading and equipment recovery. These features address two separate logistics problems: transporting supplies without assigning a driver to every vehicle and handling cargo at destinations where forklifts or dedicated recovery vehicles may be unavailable. In a hypothetical M-MET convoy with one crewed lead vehicle and three unmanned followers, the number of exposed drivers falls from four to one, a 75% reduction, excluding supervision and security personnel. A proposed CASEVAC module would use the same cargo deck to move casualties toward medical collection points without an onboard driver, although medical care and patient handling would require separate arrangements.

At AUSA 2026, the XTEND NEST launch pod adds a different operational function by allowing the UGV to transport and deploy a Scorpio 1000 small unmanned aircraft from a forward location. The Scorpio 1000 is a drone measuring 39 × 30.5 × 14.7 cm, weighing 2.3 kg, and with a maximum payload of 1 kg, equivalent to 43.5% of its aircraft weight. It reaches 70 km/h, flies for 20 minutes, operates beyond 4.8 km, and tolerates gust winds of 25 knots (46.3 km/h). Its equipment includes day/night imaging, optical-flow navigation for GPS-denied flight, AES-256 encryption, communications between 1.980 and 2.7 GHz, and ATAK, RTSP, and C2 API interfaces. An optional 2.9 km optical-fiber connection is available, while the startup time below 40 seconds supports quick reconnaissance missions. Moving the launch point 3 km closer to an observation area saves 6 km of round-trip travel, equivalent to 5.1 minutes at a constant 70 km/h, leaving more of the drone's 20-minute endurance for observation.

The UGV has also carried in the past Swarmbotics AI's FireAnt attritable small UGV, Moog's MR SLED with the RIwP weapon turret, and a Hornet remote weapon station. The FireAnt can inspect confined passages, damaged streets, or suspected threats in locations where deploying personnel or a larger vehicle would involve additional risk, while the Scorpio 1000 provides aerial observation beyond the vehicle's immediate surroundings. For its part, the RIwP turret can combine cannon and missiles for air defense and counter-UAS missions, whereas the Hornet RWS offers a separate remotely operated armament configuration. These installations allow the same UGV to support reconnaissance, defensive weapons, ammunition transport, and equipment recovery instead of requiring a different chassis for each function. The proposed casualty evacuation module would instead use the cargo deck for casualty transport, although mission changes depend on the availability and installation of the relevant equipment.

Compared with the original M998 HMMWV, the AM General UGV's principal advantage is the ability to transport up to 2,722 kg without exposing onboard soldiers to mines, artillery, or FPV drone attacks. This distinction is particularly important on routes where repeated movements expose logistics personnel to persistent aerial observation and attack, because commanders could assign unmanned carriers to deliveries that would otherwise require sending additional soldiers into risky areas. A destroyed unmanned carrier would still mean losing its cargo and vehicle, but would not automatically signify casualties or require a medical evacuation. This changes the risk calculation for repeated resupply missions along routes under enemy observation, where commanders might accept equipment losses to avoid committing additional personnel. The trade-off is an increasing dependence on electronic controls, sensors, computing equipment, and satellite navigation, which introduce vulnerabilities to electronic warfare and component failures absent from the original manually driven M998. The January 2027 prototype evaluation will help determine whether these advantages can be achieved under realistic payload, terrain, communications, and electronic warfare conditions.

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Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, South Korea, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.