Warhound Unveils $1.2 Billion Plan to Engineer Superior Military Dogs

The United States currently relies heavily on foreign countries for its military working dogs. To fix that supply chain gap, a new company called Warhound emerged from stealth on Thursday with a bold plan.

Warhound has raised $200 million in funding. The round values the startup at $1.2 billion. Investors include Sequoia, 8VC, Corner Ventures, and In-Q-Tel. In-Q-Tel is a venture firm backed by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies. The company aims to genetically engineer dogs for dangerous tasks like bomb detection and search operations.

The founders believe the current supply of working dogs is dwindling. More than 80% of the U.S. military’s working dogs come from Europe. Fewer than half of those imported dogs are fit for service. Warhound wants to change that by using technology to create animals with characteristics suited to demanding missions.

Ben Lamm of Colossal Biosciences and Palmer Luckey of Anduril started working together about a year ago. Lamm researched how working dogs are bred and found that many fail training due to inherited issues. These problems include poor eyesight, cancer risks, hip dysplasia, and muscle atrophy. The team plans to edit the genes of top-performing breeds like the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd. They will use cell lines from a biobank to add performance genes and remove problematic ones.

Anduril will provide the hardware and software to support these new dogs. The gear will include protection vests and goggles. These tools will help handlers with situational awareness. Lamm described the concept as adding technology on top of the dog, not inside it. This setup is designed to make the animals safer and healthier. It also aims to better protect the human handlers who work with them.

The first batch of dogs is about to be cloned and incubated. Births are expected early next year. Service could begin within two years. Viagen, a company owned by Colossal, will handle the cloning. Colossal is known for its de-extinction efforts, such as bringing back the dodo and mammoth. It uses AI and gene cloning technology to support this new venture.

Warhound has not yet set a price for the dogs. It expects to sell them to first responders, the Department of Defense, and police forces. The company is working with the American Humane Society to certify its training program. The goal is to ensure these dogs are treated humanely and can enter a reunification program when they retire.