Estonian robotics company Milrem Robotics has signed an agreement with Chugach Alaska Corporation to explore producing and supporting its unmanned ground systems in the United States.
The companies signed a Memorandum of Cooperation at the Association of the United States Army 2026 Annual Meeting, Milrem Robotics said. The agreement sets out a potential long-term industrial partnership serving U.S. customers and Foreign Military Sales cases supplied from a U.S. industrial base.
Milrem prepares for local production
Under the agreement, Chugach could serve as Milrem Robotics’ preferred U.S. industrial partner for the production, assembly, integration, sustainment and lifecycle support of its systems. The cooperation is intended to cover Milrem’s current and future portfolio of unmanned ground vehicles and autonomous systems, and to support potential requirements from the U.S. Department of Defense and other federal agencies as well as the U.S. commercial dual-use market.
“Our objective is not simply to sell systems into the United States, but to establish the capability to produce, integrate and sustain them there,” said Stefan Behre, Chief Sales Officer at Milrem Robotics. “A U.S. industrial base would allow us to better support American customers while also creating new opportunities to deliver Milrem systems to allied and partner nations through Foreign Military Sales. Chugach brings the industrial capabilities, infrastructure and understanding of the U.S. market needed to help us build that capability.”
The planned partnership follows Milrem’s recent cooperation with Hanwha Systems on autonomous vehicles and the Dutch THeMIS production line it opened with VDL Defentec in June, part of a run of production and cooperation deals signed by Estonian defence companies with allied manufacturers. Milrem systems are already in operational use or part of robotics programmes in 21 countries, according to the company.
Integrating systems for U.S. customers
The companies expect the cooperation to include configuring and integrating Milrem platforms to meet U.S. customer requirements, along with operator and maintainer training, sustainment and lifecycle support.
“Milrem Robotics’ systems are already in operational use on or part of robotics programs in 21 countries, and building and sustaining them here would give U.S. and allied forces a more direct path to that capability,” said Jonathan Dalrymple, CEO of Chugach. “For decades, Chugach has supported complex defense missions across shipbuilding, aviation, facilities, logistics, information warfare and technical services. We understand what it takes to integrate critical systems, sustain them over the long term, and deliver reliable support where the mission demands it. This agreement brings together Milrem Robotics’ advanced unmanned technology and Chugach’s ability to deliver for U.S. customers, and we look forward to defining what that partnership can become.”
Reaching allied and partner nations
Milrem Robotics and Chugach also intend to pursue international opportunities in which systems produced in the United States could reach allied and partner nations through Foreign Military Sales. International customers would then have a way to procure Milrem capabilities through established U.S. acquisition channels, with U.S.-based production and support behind them.
For more than 50 years, Chugach companies have delivered mission-critical solutions to government and industry while reinvesting in Alaska Native communities, according to the release. The company has approximately 5,000 employees supporting customers at 110 locations across 28 states and 10 countries, and more than 3,000 shareholders.
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