The U.S. Navy awarded a total of $92 million to Oshkosh Defense LLC for Block 2 production of the Remotely Operated Ground Unit for Expeditionary Fires (ROGUE-Fires) carriers for the U.S. Marine Corps. ROGUE-Fires carriers are unmanned, remotely operated vehicles built on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) platform, and combining autonomous driving technologies with missile-launch capability.

The ROGUE-Fires vehicle is the launch carrier for the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS), which integrates long-range anti-ship strike capability for Marine Corps expeditionary forces.

“As the battlefield continues to evolve, we are leveraging the mature and proven Oshkosh families of vehicles to design payload-agnostic autonomous platforms that deliver unmatched flexibility, enabling forces to outpace emerging threats and maintain operational dominance,” according to Pat Williams, chief programs officer at Oshkosh Defense.

Block 2 production is expected to include 44 ROGUE-Fires vehicles, bringing the program total to 178 units. Based on announced contracts since the beginning of the program, the Pentagon’s outlay for the ROGUE-Fires vehicle program is estimated at $161.9 million to date.

The Pentagon awarded the initial contract for the program in 2024, with subsequent orders for updated systems incorporating autonomous technologies sourced from Forterra. Modernization efforts have involved advanced systems to improve navigation, convoy operations, and remote mission execution, reflecting the Pentagon's emphasis on autonomous battlefield systems.

The Block 2 configuration introduces enhanced autonomous capabilities developed with technology partners specializing in unmanned vehicle operations.

The further development of the ROGUE-Fires program is expected to support sustained manufacturing activity through at least 2028 as the USMC fields additional NMESIS batteries.