Warhound plans gene-edited military dogs bred in the US, with first puppies expected in early 2027
The startup says the effort could cut reliance on European suppliers and reduce hereditary health problems in working dogs.
Warhound, a Texas-based defense startup that has raised $200 million, plans to breed and genetically modify working dogs for US military, police and first responder units, then outfit them with gear from Anduril. Its founders are Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey of Anduril, though Luckey holds no equity and has no ongoing role in the company. Gene editing has begun on cell samples from a first batch of donor dogs, mostly Belgian Malinois with some Labradors and shepherds, with the aim of reducing hereditary conditions such as hip dysplasia and cancer. The company wants to cut US reliance on European suppliers, which currently provide about 80 percent of military dogs, and says fewer than half of imported dogs pass the current three-year acquisition and training pipeline. The first genetically engineered puppies are expected in early 2027, and Anduril will supply protective goggles, vests and body armor along with the software for them.
Why it matters
For the US military, police and first responders, the plan targets a supply chain that now depends heavily on Europe and a training pipeline that loses more than half of imported dogs. If the company succeeds, it would shift where these dogs come from and how their health is managed, from purchased and imported animals toward dogs bred and edited domestically. Gene editing has only started on cell samples from a first batch of donor dogs, and the first engineered puppies are not expected until early 2027, so the change is still a plan rather than an established practice.
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