Insider Brief
- Allen Control Systems won the U.S. Army’s xTechOverwatch competition for its Bullfrog autonomous weapon station, securing a $2 million Direct to Phase II SBIR award to accelerate development.
- Bullfrog uses AI, computer vision and proprietary control systems to enable precision engagements against aerial threats, and was selected following Army evaluation of real-world performance, technical innovation and scalability.
- The award builds on ACS’s existing work with U.S. Special Operations Command and the Army, positioning the company for broader deployment of its counter-drone systems across military formations.
PRESS RELEASE —Allen Control Systems (ACS), a leader in autonomous precision robotics, announced it has been named a winner of the U.S. Army’s xTechOverwatch competition and its flagship product, Bullfrog™, has been recognized as one of the most innovative solutions for tactical overwatch currently available. Bullfrog was selected as a winner from a competitive field of dozens of advanced defense technology entrants following a rigorous evaluation of real-world performance, technical innovation, and potential scalability across Army formations.
As part of the top prize, ACS will receive a $2 million Direct to Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award to accelerate the development of Bullfrog, underscoring the Army’s focus on rapidly fielding autonomous kinetic solutions.
The xTech Overwatch competition, the service’s premier emerging tech challenge led by the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology, seeks to advance cutting-edge military capabilities in autonomous vehicles, directly addressing critical service requirements through partnerships with defense tech innovators developing artificial intelligence and sensor technologies.
“xTechOverwatch is a clear signal that the Army is prioritizing real, deployable autonomy,” said Mike Wior, co-founder and CEO, Allen Control Systems. “Bullfrog was built for fast-moving, close-in drone defense where legacy systems fall short. It restores maneuver to our ground forces which now must operate under ubiquitous aerial threat. We’re proud to be selected, and we’re ready to deliver at speed and scale.”
ACS is building the next generation of autonomous weapon systems to meet the demands of modern conflict. Its flagship product, Bullfrog, uses artificial intelligence, computer vision, and proprietary control systems to enable any legacy or modern weapon to achieve precise engagements at any target and significantly increases the accuracy of existing battlefield systems.
Bullfrog is the only autonomous kinetic defeat system on the market with demonstrated success at multiple Department of War technology trials. With contracts with U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Army, the xTechOverwatch award accelerates ACS’s path to broader adoption across U.S. military formations and partner forces.
About Allen Control Systems
Allen Control Systems (ACS) is a defense technology company that creates autonomous precision weapon systems to safeguard our military and partners, ensuring dominance on every battlefield. ACS is ushering in a new era of battlefield security, equipping U.S. and allied forces with the next generation of counter-drone technology. The company’s first product, Bullfrog, is a first-of-its-kind AI-powered robotic weapon station that enhances battlefield effectiveness by transforming legacy or modern weapon systems to achieve unmatched accuracy and impact. ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with offices in Alexandria, Va. and an innovation lab in Huntsville, Ala. For more information, please visit https://www.allencontrolsystems.com.
