From Humvee to Autonomy: AM General Unveils UGV and JLTV A2 at Eurosatory 2026
AM General, the Indiana-based manufacturer best known for the iconic Humvee, is making a bold move into the autonomous era. At the Eurosatory 2026 defense trade show in Paris next week, the company will present two vehicles designed to meet NATO's growing demand for unmanned and counter-drone-capable ground platforms: a new Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) and the significantly upgraded JLTV A2.
A UGV Built on Battle-Proven Bones
The AM General UGV is the product of a trilateral collaboration announced in October 2025, bringing together AM General's industrial muscle with Carnegie Robotics' autonomy expertise and Textron Systems' experience in vehicle control and payload integration. Originally developed for the U.S. Army's Medium Modular Equipment Transport Trailer (M-MET) program, the platform leverages a rugged all-terrain chassis derived from the battle-proven Humvee lineage.
Under the hood sits an upgraded 250 hp engine producing over 550 lb-ft of torque, while a hybrid-electric powerpack delivers more than 30 kW of exportable power — enabling the vehicle to serve as both a transport platform and a mobile energy source for forward-deployed units. With a payload capacity of up to 6,000 lb (~2,722 kg), the UGV is built for multi-mission flexibility.
At Eurosatory, the vehicle will be equipped with a Hornet C-UAS remote weapon station, giving it active counter-drone capability — a rapidly growing requirement on modern battlefields.
"We've been able to demonstrate that autonomous mobile technology can be leveraged for multiple uses including logistics support, casualty evacuation, lethality missions, as well as defensive operation," said AM General CEO John Chadbourne in a statement ahead of the show.
Market Context: Unmanned Ground Systems Surge
AM General's timing is strategic. The Ukrainian military plans to contract 25,000 unmanned ground platforms in the first half of 2026 alone — more than double its 2025 total — and NATO member states are closely watching the results.
In February 2026, the European Defence Agency completed a ten-day Arctic trial of unmanned combat vehicles at the Regionfelt Østlandet range in eastern Norway. Nine European nations participated, testing weapon-equipped UGVs in sub-zero conditions through the EDA's Combat Unmanned Ground Systems (CUGS) project. The demonstration highlighted both the potential and the remaining challenges: interoperability between systems from different manufacturers and communication reliability remain key hurdles before UGVs see widespread battlefield adoption.
JLTV A2: Incremental Evolution with 1,000+ Changes
Alongside the UGV, AM General will showcase the JLTV A2 in a four-person crew-cab variant. According to the company, the A2 incorporates more than 1,000 modifications to the technical data package compared to the A1 version — a comprehensive refresh that touches powertrain, suspension, electronics, and overall durability.
Like the UGV, the JLTV A2 will be demonstrated with integrated counter-drone capability, this time via the Hornet Lite lightweight remote weapon station. The compact weapon station adds anti-UAV defense without compromising the vehicle's crew capacity or mobility.
A Legacy Manufacturer Adapts
For a company whose name is synonymous with the Humvee — a platform that has served global militaries for four decades — the shift toward unmanned systems represents a significant strategic pivot. By combining its traditional strengths in rugged tactical vehicle manufacturing with autonomy partners like Carnegie Robotics and Textron Systems, AM General is positioning itself for a defense landscape where the line between crewed and uncrewed operations is increasingly blurred.
The dual unveiling at Eurosatory 2026 signals that the company sees its future not just in building better crewed vehicles, but in shaping the autonomous supply chains and reconnaissance networks that will underpin tomorrow's multi-domain operations.
— Heavy-Shift covers the intersection of heavy industry, defense mobility, and the green transition. Follow us for ongoing coverage from Eurosatory 2026.