The U.S. Navy and the General Services Administration recently quadrupled the ceiling value of Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics’ contract to $300 million six months after the initial $71 million contract award.
The increase was awarded for decreasing maintenance delays and improving fleet readiness. Gecko’s artificial intelligence and robotic technology can save the U.S. Navy up to $8 million per ship in repair costs and can identify structural issues up to 50 times faster than traditional methods, reducing inspections from months to days and returning vessels to sea quicker.
“The conversation around AI and robotics in defense is no longer about experimental technology. It’s about delivering measurable and impactful returns,” Jake Loosararian, Gecko Robotics co-founder and CEO, said. “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 servicemembers the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats.”
Gecko’s robotic technology system Komodo scans through thick, non-skid deck coatings without stripping or damaging them, and produces a full-deck heatmap of corrosion and material thickness. The map enables repair teams to pinpoint damage and plan work before a ship enters drydock.