Neya Systems & ARA Showcase Collaborative Autonomous Breaching at XPO USA 2026

Neya Systems and its parent company, Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA), are presenting an integrated autonomous breaching capability at the XPONENTIAL 2026 event in Detroit.

The solution is designed to address high-risk battlefield operations where speed, coordination, and force protection are critical. By combining an advanced autonomy stack with a multi-asset mission orchestration solution, the collaboration enables large-scale breaching lane clearance using a variety of air and ground platforms. This integrated approach involves technology from several industry partners, including American Rheinmetall, AM General, Hendrick Technical Solutions, Persistent Systems, LLC, and Swarmbotics AI.

Central to the display is the Mission Planning and Management System (MPMS), a mission orchestration tool that allows a single soldier to command and supervise a diverse array of robotic platforms and sensors. These platforms are integrated with the N-Drive autonomy stack, a vehicle-agnostic solution that provides autonomous behaviors such as guarded teleoperation, high-speed waypoint navigation, and active detection of obstacles, vegetation, and negative terrain features.

Several specific platforms are featured within this coordinated ecosystem. Hendrick Technical Solutions’ Nomad, a maneuverable unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), is utilized for mine clearance and breaching scenarios. This is complemented by ARA’s HAVEX, a swarm of low-cost, attritable mini-uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) that can be deployed from a “mothership” UGV or UAV to clear obstacles near a breach zone. Additionally, the Swarmbotics AI FireAnts provide small, attritable UGVs for reconnaissance and lane marking.

The hardware suite also includes the American Rheinmetall Komodo, an autonomous modular platform for high-risk environments, and an AM General UGV built on a battle-proven chassis with high payload capacity. Networking for these assets is provided by Persistent Systems, LLC’s MPU5 radios, which utilize the Wave Relay Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) for remote teleoperation and communication.

Kurt Bruck, Vice President, Neya Systems, said, “This collaboration unites the platforms and autonomy needed to reduce risk to personnel during breaching operations while increasing both speed and precision. It shows what’s possible when best-in-class ground and air systems are paired with advanced autonomy. It’s a step towards more scalable, interoperable systems that can handle the complexity of real-world operations and keep soldiers out of harm’s way.”

The technology solutions on display are designed to be MOSA-compatible, emphasizing a coordinated approach to improving operational effectiveness while removing personnel from immediate danger during contested breaching maneuvers.