Gecko Robotics eyes further fleet work growth after expanded US naval work contract

Gecko Robotics' Komodo system, shown here, scans through thick, non-skid deck coatings without stripping or damaging them. (Gecko Robotics)

The recently expanded contract for US Navy (USN) shipboard maintenance helps clear a path for greater naval work and maritime maintenance impact for Gecko Robotics' technology that mates robotics, sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI), according to Troy Demmer, company president and co-founder.

“It's a big step forward,” Demmer told Janes during an interview on 29 October.

“From what we see across the fleet or across the class, we can draw out insights,” Demmer said, adding that such insight can change class-maintenance plans.

Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gecko Robotics acknowledged a USD71 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with the General Services Administration (GSA) and USN in March 2026 to deploy its robotic systems for maintenance work on USN vessels.

The company confirmed on 22 October that the ceiling for that initial contract had been expanded to USD300 million and will “accommodate rapid robotic deployment across the navy”, the company said in a release.

The increased contract work comes as the USN continues its struggle to work through maintenance delays across the fleet.

Central to the expansion is Komodo, a proprietary Gecko Robotics technology system that scans through thick, non-skid deck coatings without stripping or damaging them, giving the navy the ability to see the health of assets without taking them apart, the company said.

The technology produces a full-deck heatmap of corrosion and material thickness, enabling repair teams to pinpoint damage and plan work before a ship enters drydock, which was previously possible only after maintenance had begun, the company said.

Komodo is ground-based robot, with more sensors and capability than previously offered, Demmer told