IDV, a Leonardo company, has been selected to participate in the U.S. Army’s Engineer Autonomous Breaching Capability initiative, which seeks to develop autonomous systems capable of breaching complex battlefield obstacles and minefields while reducing the exposure of soldiers to enemy observation and fire.

The company announced on 15 September that its U.S. subsidiary, IDV USA, was selected by the U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive Office Mission Autonomy as one of four industry participants in the initiative. The programme is intended to advance autonomous engineering capabilities that can support military forces during some of the most dangerous phases of ground operations.

Breaching minefields and other complex obstacles traditionally requires military engineers and specialised vehicles to operate in highly exposed environments, frequently under direct and indirect enemy fire. The Engineer Autonomous Breaching Capability initiative aims to employ autonomous platforms to perform or support these missions, minimising the risks faced by personnel while maintaining the tempo and effectiveness of manoeuvre operations.

IDV’s proposed solution is based on the company’s VIKING Uncrewed Ground Vehicle and draws upon its experience in autonomous military ground systems. The VIKING UGV is equipped with a ground-autonomy software architecture designed to facilitate the rapid integration of different mission systems, engineering equipment and specialised payloads.

The system also incorporates autonomous navigation capabilities intended to support operations in contested environments where access to Global Navigation Satellite System signals may be degraded, disrupted or denied. These technologies are expected to provide a flexible and scalable autonomy foundation that could be adapted to future engineering, mobility and manoeuvre-support missions.

“We are honoured to be selected by the U.S. Army for the EABC initiative,” said Corey Kashner, CEO of IDV USA. “The EABC programme aligns directly with IDV’s vision for autonomous systems and robotic manoeuvre support.”

“By combining the proven VIKING UGV platform with our autonomy framework, we are delivering a solution designed to enhance mission effectiveness while reducing risks to soldiers. We look forward to supporting the Army’s modernisation objectives,” Kashner added.

Following the award of contracts, the U.S. Army has indicated that the initiative will proceed through a series of demonstrations and operational assessments. These activities will evaluate the performance of autonomous breaching systems in representative military environments and examine their ability to support forces confronting complex obstacles and minefields.

The evaluation process is expected to culminate in an assessment conducted with an operational military unit. Feedback from soldiers will help the Army determine the effectiveness, practicality and operational relevance of the proposed systems and inform future decisions concerning the development and acquisition of next-generation autonomous engineer capabilities.

IDV continues to invest in advanced military mobility, autonomy integration and mission-enabling technologies for the United States and allied armed forces. Its participation in the Engineer Autonomous Breaching Capability initiative reflects the company’s broader effort to develop systems that improve battlefield mobility, enhance mission effectiveness and increase soldier survivability across future operating environments.

A subsidiary of Leonardo, IDV develops and manufactures specialist logistic, protected and armoured vehicles for military customers worldwide. Its portfolio addresses a broad range of defence applications, including tactical mobility, protected transportation and mission-specific vehicle requirements.