The US Navy is considering using robots and AI to enhance the health and maintenance of its vessels.

Gecko Robotics predicts that the U.S. military will rely on robotics and AI to enhance fleet maintenance and readiness.

The Navy has agreed to a deal with the company to implement wall-climbing robots and AI technology to streamline operations and prolong the lifespan of its vessels.

Jake Loosararian, co-founder and CEO of Gecko Robotics, stated in a press release that the company is proud to expand its partnership with the Navy in support of the Columbia-class submarine program, which aims to enhance the speed of production and ensure the ships remain in combat readiness.

"Ensuring the brave men and women of the U.S. Navy have the necessary tools to carry out their critical missions safely and efficiently is what our team strives for every day."

Gecko promises to reduce maintenance-related work hours and improve data analytics to detect defects in processes, enhancing the defensive structures of vessels.

Gecko can capture 4.2 million data points, while traditional methods capture only "less than 100 data points on key vital defense structures."

In 2013, Loosararian founded Gecko Robotics as a continuation of a project he began while in college at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. He started working on his first robot in 2012.

The engineering professor's project to handle structural issues at a nearby power plant was successfully completed by Loosararian, and the resulting robot was donated to the plant for use.

Loosararian invested his savings in building robots for his future company, Gecko, and cycled through co-founders before finding success with his new projects.

In 2023, Gecko began collaborating with the U.S. Navy to reduce maintenance delays for ships and submarines. However, by 2024, the company had experienced a 400% increase in usage. In the near future, Gecko plans to expand its services to include aircraft carriers and collect detailed information on the condition of Navy vessels.

The company stated in its press release that the data is fed into Cantilever, Gecko's AI-powered operations platform, to significantly reduce growth work, maintenance timelines, and enable ships to return to sea faster.

"The new agreements solidify Gecko's role in constructing and maintaining vital defense systems that safeguard both national and international security. Additionally, the U.S. Navy will be at the forefront of utilizing cutting-edge technology to minimize delays and unforeseen maintenance for its fleet, a challenge that many countries face."