The general public-private consortium will award as much as $2 million for a number of tasks. Supply: ARM Institute
The Superior Robotics in Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute final week stated the ultimate model of Know-how Challenge Name 26-01 is publicly out there. The core-funded name is seeking to serve high-priority protection utility areas.
Twin-use know-how that additionally advantages the broader U.S. manufacturing sector is most well-liked, however this undertaking name primarily focuses on protection functions, famous the ARM Institute.
Based in 2017, the ARM Institute stated it companions with trade, academia, and authorities to make robotics, autonomy, and synthetic intelligence extra accessible to U.S. producers of all sizes. The Pittsburgh-based Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) additionally works on workforce improvement, strengthening international financial competitiveness, and bettering nationwide safety and resilience.
Challenge name seeks protection tasks
The ARM Institute plans to award about $2 million to fund a number of tasks via this undertaking name. Particular person undertaking budgets should not exceed $500,000 requested from the institute. Idea papers are due on Feb. 4, 2026, within the ARM Member Group.
ARM Institute Challenge Calls are meant to advance urgently wanted robotics and AI options, in accordance with the ARM Institute. The group selects matters with enter from its authorities companions and member consortium, which incorporates 1000’s of particular person subject-matter specialists.
This undertaking name is one in every of a number of funding alternatives that the ARM Institute launched in late 2025. “This full schedule of funding alternatives epitomizes the vital position the ARM Institute and its member consortium performs in securing U.S. manufacturing,” it stated.
Challenge Name 26-01 facilities on validated U.S. Division of Battle (DoW) wants, similar to:
- Manufacturing of low-volume, high-mix castings and forgings for DoW acquisition and sustainment, together with essential upstream and downstream processes
- Manufacturing of submarines and executable floor ships
- Manufacturing of unmanned aerial programs (UAS), together with collaborative fight plane (CCA) and UAS-based munitions
- Manufacturing of munitions, together with ballistic munitions, guided munitions, missiles, and hypersonic weapons
- Manufacturing and/or sustainment for particular packages of document
The ARM Institute welcomed guests at its Mill 19 headquarters throughout its annual member assembly. Supply: ARM Institute
ARM Institute seeks specialists in robotic controls, autonomy
The ARM Institute listed the technical subject areas related to Challenge Name 26-01:
The institute stated it’s going to host a public webinar about this name at 12:00 p.m. ET on Jan. 8, 2026. It should assessment the undertaking name content material and the submission course of, and attendees can ask questions. All registrants will later obtain the recording.
Whereas the undertaking name is publicly out there, solely ARM Institute members can submit proposals. The consortium has greater than 450 members.
The ARM Institute is a part of the Manufacturing USA community and is funded by the Workplace of the Secretary of Battle beneath Settlement No. W911NF-17-3-0004.
In Could, it appointed trade veteran Jorgen Pedersen as CEO. In September, the ARM Institute held its ninth annual member assembly. Final month, it introduced a five-year, $75 million cooperative settlement with the Air Pressure Analysis Laboratory.