Hunter WOLF GroundBreaker Phase II: BLADE Advances

BLADE's Hunter WOLF GroundBreaker Phase II selection sends the unmanned ground vehicle to a live government demonstration at Camp Grafton, North Dakota, from October 19 through 23. BLADE says the event follows a technical review of its Phase I brief; it is a demonstration, not a production award.[1]

What will Hunter WOLF do at GroundBreaker Phase II?

BLADE will bring Hunter WOLF to a field demonstration, where government evaluators will assess technology maturity, operational readiness and cross-domain interoperability. BLADE has not published a test plan, scoring method, number of vehicles, or the other entrants.[1]

"GroundBreaker 1 gives us the opportunity to demonstrate why the Hunter WOLF is ready to support the warfighter now," said Tom Van Doren, president of BLADE's robotics sector.[1]

That is the company's view of its own platform. The useful result will be what the evaluators disclose after the October event. BLADE says a successful Phase II result may allow a company to submit a full Phase III proposal for a Prototype Other Transaction Authority award.[1]

What is known about the vehicle?

BLADE describes Hunter WOLF as a 6x6 hybrid-electric unmanned ground vehicle made for the Army's S-MET program. Its product page claims a payload above 2,200 pounds, a more-than-200-mile off-road range at full payload, and up to 15 kW of electrical output. Those are manufacturer specifications, not results from GroundBreaker 1.[2]

The same distinction matters when reading capability labels. Our robotics capability framework explains why a stated autonomy level is not a substitute for task-specific evidence.

Why the timing matters

The Phase II appearance comes after the Army selected HDT, BLADE's former name, among six vendors for its separate Infantry Last Tactical Mile initiative in September. The Army said that program is expected to proceed to demonstrations and assessments before an operational assessment with an Army unit in early 2027.[3]

The two programs are separate. Neither announcement publishes a contract value for Hunter WOLF, a procurement quantity, or a production decision. For a civilian contrast, our report on FANUC's compact DC controller covers an industrial arm controller designed to run from a mobile robot's battery.

Hunter WOLF GroundBreaker Phase II FAQ

Hunter WOLF GroundBreaker Phase II questions

When is Hunter WOLF GroundBreaker Phase II?

BLADE says the live hardware demonstration is scheduled for October 19-23, 2026, at Camp Grafton in North Dakota.

Does GroundBreaker Phase II award Hunter WOLF a contract?

No. BLADE describes Phase II as an evaluation. A successful evaluation may lead to an invitation to submit a Phase III prototype proposal.

What has BLADE disclosed about the evaluation?

It says evaluators will assess technology maturity, operational readiness and cross-domain interoperability. The company has not published the test plan or scoring method.