Genetically Engineered Military Dogs? US-Based Startup Raises $200 Million For Ambitious Project

A newly formed US-based defence startup called Warhound wants to clone and genetically engineer advanced working dogs for military and security operations, The New York Post reported, adding that the venture has already pulled in $200 million during its seed funding round. The report mentions that the startup has already reached a $1.2 billion valuation without even producing a single genetically modified pup.

The start-up is backed by prominent venture capital firms and investors, including Sequoia Capital, ARK Invest, and Lux Capital.

Warhound brings together Palmer Luckey, founder of the defence tech firm Anduril, and Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal Biosciences, the company that made a controversial effort to resurrect the extinct dire wolf.

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According to the report, the company aims to combine genetic engineering with protective equipment and digital systems that are designed to support dogs and their human handlers.

They said that the initiative was born out of a stark logistical vulnerability within American national security. Currently, the US relies heavily on European suppliers to source the vast majority of its military working dogs. They are an important part of frontline assets, in tracking, locating missing persons, and sniffing out explosives in high-threat environments.

But American agencies face international competition from other global powers trying to secure the same elite canine stock.

Also, there are issues with traditional breeding and training cycles take around three years, and just a small percentage of the purchased dogs ultimately meet the strict standards required for active military service.

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As reported by Interesting Engineering, the company plans to start with two breeds already valued for military and police work - Belgian Malinois and German Shepherds.

As mentioned by Scientific American, the researchers are planning to clone the cells of those dogs and edit the cloned embryos to produce new puppies. According to the report, they are expecting the first litters in early 2027.

The company wants to improve the health and longevity of the dogs, and also their traits such as speed, agility, and scent detection.

"Man's best friend deserves man's best tech," Luckey said in a statement.