SAN FRANCISCO (NewsNation) — A San Francisco-based startup is developing humanoid robots designed specifically for combat, breaking ranks with major robotics companies that have pledged not to weaponize their technology.
NewsNation got an exclusive look at Phantom MK-1, a 5-foot-9-inch, 175-pound humanoid robot created by Foundation capable of carrying up to 44 pounds.
The company is actively seeking contracts with the Department of Defense and aims to produce 10,000 units next year.
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Sankaet Pathak, CEO and co-founder of Foundation, envisions the robots serving as a “first line of defense” on battlefields to reduce human casualties in ground warfare. The company is the only known humanoid robotics firm purposely building machines for military applications.
Phantom MK-1 designed as battlefield ‘first line of defense’
“I think the future of warfare is real-life video games,” Pathak told NewsNation. “So air, land, sea, all of them would be autonomous.”
Despite advances in artificial intelligence, the humanoid robots will not be fully autonomous.
Pathak said human operators will maintain oversight, with AI assisting in flagging targets, charting paths and calculating trajectories. However, humans will make final decisions on weapon deployment.
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The robots would initially function as ground drones for reconnaissance and defensive operations, similar to how aerial drones evolved. Future versions could be weaponized for offensive operations, bomb disposal and reconnaissance missions.
Company seeks DOD contracts, plans 10,000 units next year
Foundation operates in a competitive field of approximately two dozen companies developing humanoid robots, though most focus on manufacturing and service applications rather than military use.
Tesla’s Optimus robots, for example, are being developed for vehicle production.
Morgan Stanley predicts widespread adoption of humanoid robots by the late 2030s, with the overall market potentially exceeding $5 trillion by 2050. Military applications are expected to represent a significant portion of that market.
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Pathak acknowledged that China and the United States are “neck to neck” in humanoid research and development capabilities, though he said the U.S. lags in manufacturing capacity.
He predicts that within 10 years, humanoid robots will be deployed first in active battlefields, with human soldiers following only if necessary.
Future versions of Phantom may be faster, stronger and more heavily weaponized, according to Pathak, who said the company’s goal is to build “the most capable and rugged humanoid” for deployment in extreme environments.
