The robots really are coming for us. This morning, Germany-based unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) company ARX Robotics unveiled its first combat-capable UGV: Combat Gereon. The company says that the mini, battle-hardened robot-tank was built in a “European-Ukrainian development campaign” and honed with direct feedback from Ukrainian users on the frontline.
“[This] system extends the reach of our autonomous platform into the combat-capable domain while staying true to our core focus: increasing survivability at the front line and enabling European forces to operate with greater effectiveness and lower risk,” Marc Wietfeld, co-founder and CEO of ARX Robotics, said in a statement.
The UGV was developed in collaboration with Frontline, a Ukrainian defense tech company that builds robotic systems. ARX also worked with Valhalla Turrets, a Slovenian defense manufacturer, to integrate weapons systems onto the UGV and make sure it’s up to snuff for use by European armed forces.
Rise of the robots: ARX was founded in 2021 by former members of the German Armed Forces. The idea was to build up European defense capabilities using unmanned ground systems that could keep soldiers out of harm’s way.
The company’s flagship product is a line of UGVs called Gereon, designed for both humanitarian and combat missions.
- The OG model can carry up to a 500kg payload and (to date) was designed for everything from frontline logistics to casualty evacuation and surveillance.
- It can travel at top speeds of about 30 kph (18.64 mph) and has a range of 40 km (24.85 miles).
The company has also developed an operating system (OS) called Mithra, which can be used to control an unmanned fleet and digitize legacy systems (think adding advanced sensors and AI-enabled functions to old school combat vehicles).
Show me the money: ARX has been popular among investors, to say the least. The company raised a €31M ($36.2M) Series A led by HV Capital, Omnes Capital, NATO Innovation Fund, and Project A back in April. Then (plot twist) they scored an additional €11M ($12.86M) Series A extension in July, bringing the round to $42M.
So far, ARX’s UGVs are deployed with six European armed forces, including Germany, Ukraine, and the UK. In early 2025, Germany deployed 30 Gereons to Ukraine, marking the largest Western-deployed UGV fleet in a conflict zone. They were mostly used for things like mine clearance and medical evacuation.
In recent months, ARX has made some serious money moves: Back in April, the company said it would invest £45M ($60.9M) to build a UK production hub, and they’ve announced a slew of formal partnerships, including with:
- Quantum Systems, to merge the company’s UGVs with Quantum’s aerial systems.
- UXS Alliance, an alliance of European drone companies that ARX helped bring together into one coalition.
- RENK Group, an old-school German drivetrain producer, which should help scale production of ARX’s UGVs across the continent.
- Daimler Truck, to digitize legacy military trucks using Mithra OS.
- Elistair, to combine tethered drones with their UGVs for surveillance.
On the battlefield: Combat Gereon marks ARX’s full-tilt move from logistics and surveillance into combat vehicles.
The company says they’re integrating an “advanced effector capability into the system,” which is tech-speak for things that go pew pew and boom. The idea is that these mini robot tanks will be able to get super-duper close to the front and carry out missions and attacks that would put human soldiers at serious risk.
ARX says that the vehicle can be quickly upgraded with different features, weapons, and payloads to meet specific battlefield needs. Combat Gereon also uses autonomous navigation and, like all of ARX’s vehicles, can plug right into Mithra and operate as part of a larger autonomous fleet.