By Ken Gonzalez, Hannah Huffman and Alec Kiang
Across every domain of defense—air, sea, land, space, and cyber—autonomous technologies are reshaping how missions are executed and how risks are managed. What once seemed futuristic is now becoming essential, as autonomous systems help extend human capability, increase efficiency, and improve safety on and off the battlefield.
At NightDragon, we’ve watched this evolution closely. From drones to unmanned maritime vessels to cyber operations powered by AI, autonomy is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern defense strategy. But while the aerial and maritime domains have captured much of the spotlight, one critical area has rolled somewhat under the radar: ground autonomy.
Many conflicts, regardless of where they are fought, have a ground component. Ground vehicles make up the largest share of assets in any military, and autonomy represents a major opportunity to make those assets safer, faster, and more cost-effective. While aerial and maritime autonomy have gained traction in recent years—driven by conflicts like Ukraine and rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific—the same forces are now accelerating interest and innovation in the ground domain.
Why Ground Autonomy Matters
Autonomous ground systems are transforming how logistics, mobility, and mission execution happen in the field. Programs like the DIU’s Ground Expeditionary Autonomy Retrofit System (GEARS) initiative demonstrate the promise—reducing the number of personnel needed for cargo missions from five or six down to one or two, keeping soldiers safer and freeing human capacity for higher-priority tasks.
Yet, ground autonomy is uniquely complex, While maritime and aerial post their own challenges, autonomous ground vehicles arguably operate in the most dynamic and challenging environments. They navigate uneven terrain, physical obstacles, and constant human activity that demand constant adjustments and precision. Solving these challenges at scale requires advanced perception, real-time adaptability, and a powerful data foundation that continuously trains the autonomy model to handle the variability of ground conditions
Expanding NightDragon’s Autonomy and Defense Portfolio
At NightDragon, we’ve long believed in the transformative power of autonomy across domains. We’ve been proud to back innovators like Saronic in maritime autonomy, Epirus in counter-drone and directed energy systems, and Horizon3.ai in cyber operations automation. Today, we’re thrilled to round out that ecosystem further with an investment in Forterra, the leader in autonomous mission systems for the defense market.
Forterra is the operating standard for autonomy in the most complex, high-stakes environments. Its systems are built to automate vehicles and transform operations for entire fleets and missions, intelligently, flexibly and without compromise. From self-driving land systems to coordinated swarms of robotic systems; Forterra builds scalable, robust, mission critical hardware and software platforms that empower its customers to deploy autonomy as a force multiplier, extending reach, survivability, and effectiveness.
Why We Were Excited to Invest
When NightDragon looks at an investment, we look for excellence in team, technology and the addressable market opportunity. Forterra’s extensive experience in robotics and autonomy provides a rich foundation of data and learning that is a true example of American innovation. Their focus on off-road autonomy and resilient connectivity in denied or disconnected environment—two of the hardest problems in the space—is significant and continues to strengthen with recent strategic acquisitions like goTenna.
The Forterra team stands apart as one of the most impressive we’ve encountered. From the top down, there’s a clear sense of purpose that stems directly from CEO Josh Araujo and Chief Growth Officer Scott Sanders, whose leadership has instilled a culture of relentless execution and service to the mission. In an industry where go-to-market execution is often what separates the winners from the rest, Scott’s track record immediately stood out. At Anduril, he helped shape and win major defense contracts that brought cutting-edge technology into active DoD programs, proving his ability to navigate the complex federal landscape and align innovation with mission needs. He’s carried that success into Forterra, evident in the company’s rapid traction and growing presence across DoD programs.
Finally, when it comes to the market opportunity, Forterra isn’t just experimenting; it’s executing across the U.S., Asia, European markets and more. The company already has a true footprint in meaningful programs, an enormous achievement for commercial players in this sector with clear line of sight to significant future contracts. Their total addressable market, powered by the massive vehicle install base, is enormous.
Extending NightDragon’s SecureTech Thesis
Our investment in Forterra continues NightDragon’s growing commitment to SecureTech, which includes the cybersecurity, public safety, and national security technologies helping secure our world for tomorrow. We believe autonomy will play a defining role in the future of defense and that leaders like Forterra are making that future real today. Together with our investments in Saronic, Epirus, Horizon3.ai, and others, we’re building an ecosystem that spans offense, defense, and the connective technologies that make autonomy secure and effective.
We’re incredibly excited to partner with Josh, Scott, and the entire Forterra team alongside their world-class existing investors as they accelerate the next generation of ground autonomy. As we look to the future, autonomy isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the foundation of how modern defense will operate. NightDragon is proud to be helping power that future—securely, intelligently, and across every domain.