A new Texas-based defense startup has a plan to improve military and police dogs in the US: it will genetically modify them and equip them with Anduril military technology. Warhound is the brainchild of Anduril’s Palmer Luckey and Ben Lamm, co-founder of Colossal Biosciences (the company that says it’s trying to resurrect extinct animals), and has already raised $200 million in funding from investors.
Warhound plans to use Colossal’s work in genetics, cloning, and animal biology to “produce healthier dogs with characteristics suitable for demanding missions,” and then Anduril will equip them with his “advanced cybernetic augmentations.” That includes eye and ear protection and military EagleEye technology to give dogs and their handlers “increased awareness and protection in the field.”
“Man’s best friend deserves man’s best technology,” Luckey said in the press announcement. Bloomberg reports that despite helping with the company’s conception, Luckey has no stock or any continuing role in Warhound.
The goal is to reduce dependence on Europe, where 80 percent of U.S. military dogs are currently sourced, and improve the success rate in training the animals for specialized jobs. According to the startup’s press release, less than half of dogs acquired abroad are generally considered fit for service after the current three-year acquisition and training process.
In a statement to TechCrunchLamm said Colossal seeks to improve the animals by editing their genes to eliminate problems such as poor vision and the likelihood of cancer, while adding new genes to improve performance “in things like speed and agility or improving olfactory sensors to detect bombs and all that.” High-performance working dog breeds such as the Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd are the basis of their studies, but the plan is to create “a new type of dog.”
These dogs don’t exist yet, but when (or if) they do, Warhound says they will be deployed for elite working roles in the U.S. military, emergency first responders, and law enforcement. The American Humane Society will help guide the company and certify its training programs. Marine veteran and intelligence specialist David Spirk has been named CEO of Warhound and said the company’s goal is simple: “healthier dogs, better-prepared teams, and more service members and first responders returning home safely.”
