HDT Robotics has delivered Hunter WOLF unmanned ground vehicles to the U.S. Army’s 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk, Louisiana, supporting the Army’s Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport (GOAT) program through a week-long Operator New Equipment Training event. The Fredericksburg, Virginia-based company announced the delivery on May 11, 2026. HDT will train soldiers to operate, employ, and sustain the platform and will demonstrate multiple modular mission payload configurations and operational roles during the event.
Highlights
- Delivery supports the U.S. Army’s Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport (GOAT) program with the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk
- The week-long Operator New Equipment Training (OPNET) event covers operation, employment, and sustainment of the platform
- Hunter WOLF will demonstrate communications, logistics, casualty evacuation, and ISR payload configurations
- Training also supports the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) initiative and will include autonomy kit demonstrations
A 6×6 Platform Built for Modular Mission Roles
The Hunter WOLF, developed out of HDT’s Advanced Battle Lab, is a multi-mission ground vehicle robotic platform engineered to reduce soldier workload, extend operational duration, and keep dismounted units in the field longer with less fatigue and at safer distances. The platform can be configured as a communications relay, a logistics mover, a casualty evacuation system, or an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform. HDT designed the vehicle around commercially available components to simplify field maintenance.
The 6×6 platform runs on Michelin non-pneumatic Tweels rather than conventional tires and uses a hybrid-electric powertrain with a silent operating mode. Independent reporting on the prior phase of Fort Polk training indicated configurations including AN/VRC-158 tactical radios, universal battery charging units, a 60-gallon water purification capability, casualty evacuation configurations, and a 15-kilowatt mobile power export system.
Manufacturer-stated specifications place payload capacity at up to 2,800 pounds and off-road range above 200 miles, with an optional extended-range fuel tank reportedly extending operation past 600 miles. These figures originate with HDT and are not independently verified.
The GOAT Program Context
The U.S. Army’s Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport program reflects a broader service-wide shift toward optionally autonomous and unmanned ground platforms for the “last tactical mile” — the contested space between rear support and forward lines. The Army has been actively testing UGV concepts at Fort Polk’s Joint Readiness Training Center since at least April 2026, with 101st Airborne Division soldiers operating Hunter WOLF variants in earlier exercises.
The GOAT delivery follows HDT’s selection alongside American Rheinmetall Vehicles in the late phase of the Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) competition. Army planning documents have indicated a production contract for more than 2,000 units is targeted, with selection scheduled for 2027.
Company Statement
“We’re focused on giving soldiers a capability that helps them do their job while reducing their exposure to risk. The Hunter WOLF has gone through rigorous testing, is battlefield tested, and ready now,” said Tom Van Doren, President, Robotics Sector at HDT.
According to the company, the training will give soldiers hands-on experience operating and maintaining the platform and will demonstrate the use of autonomy kits and casualty evacuation. HDT will also support the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) activities and plans to demonstrate the WOLF’s autonomy capabilities during the event.
Industry Context
Defense interest in optionally autonomous ground platforms has accelerated alongside the Army’s partnership with commercial autonomy providers such as Forterra, Overland AI, and Scout AI for Infantry Squad Vehicle autonomy integration. The Hunter WOLF’s compatibility with the open-source Robotic Operating System (ROS) places it in the same emerging category of vehicle-agnostic UGV platforms designed to accept third-party autonomy stacks, similar to the Textron RIPSAW M3 integrated with Kodiak’s autonomy system.
Sign up for our weekly emails to stay up to date on the latest news!
