Inside Anduril's Bolt-M Kamikaze Drone Program (www.twz.com)

Anduril Industries has secured a significant $23.9 million contract to deliver over 600 Bolt-M kamikaze drones to the U.S. Marine Corps as part of its Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program. Following 13 months of rigorous testing, these machine-learning-enhanced drones aim to transform individual soldier capabilities by providing a man-packable, easy-to-operate precision strike option. The deployment of the Bolt-M systems is set to begin between February 2026 and April 2027, with initial units expected to be operational as early as this summer. This development is particularly notable for the AI/ML community because it reflects the increasing integration of advanced technologies in military applications. The Bolt-M is designed with an emphasis on lightweight functionality and ease of use, allowing operators to engage targets beyond the line of sight while managing a lower cognitive load. Technical features include up to 40 minutes of endurance and a range exceeding 20 kilometers, with the capability for real-time decision making facilitated by Anduril's Lattice UI software. This production effort is indicative of a shift toward scalable, rapid deployment of advanced munitions, as Anduril plans to increase its output to 175 units per month, demonstrating the potential of AI in operationalizing modern warfare technologies.