Abris DG enters U.S. defense market via xTech competition

The Czech-based company Abris DG has successfully entered the United States defense market through the xTech|Edge Strike: Ground competition. Their electric amphibious platform, Unex, was one of five winners selected during field testing in Vilseck, Germany, where 17 autonomous ground vehicles were evaluated by American soldiers in rugged terrain.

In addition to a financial reward, the Unex vehicle gained placement on the Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate, a platform described as an army version of Amazon. This allows various branches of the U.S. military to order products directly without undergoing lengthy traditional tender processes.

The success of Abris DG highlights a shift in how the U.S. Department of Defense seeks innovation. Rather than relying solely on massive defense contractors through protracted bidding wars, the military is increasingly using specialized challenges and research programs to rapidly deploy functional technologies. These programs are also open to international entities that can provide solutions to specific combat challenges, such as logistics, casualty evacuation, and energy resilience.