Exclusive: Chaos and Forterra collaborating on robotic air defenses

Driving the news: Chaos and Forterra tested a combination of their Vanquish distributed radar system and AutoDrive autonomy aboard a Squad Multipurpose Equipment Transport vehicle at a range in Idaho.

• Government trials are expected later this month.

Zoom in: The two have been collaborating for at least a half-year. When asked, both left the door open to soft- and hard-kill countermeasures being added in the future.

What they're saying: "We're trying to make force protection not so hard," Chris Musselman, chief mission officer at Chaos, told Axios. "How can we help folks — our forces — maneuver more safely without all the cognitive load?"

• "If we can show the government what we showed ourselves recently, with the tests, that's the objective."

Zoom out: The U.S. military is increasingly interested in making first contact with and fighting alongside machines.

• The Army has discussed human-machine integrated formations. The Air Force has its drone wingman plans. And the Navy is pursuing a hybrid fleet.

The bottom line: "One of the critical uses for autonomous systems is to be that forward, blunting force," Scott Sanders, chief growth officer at Forterra, told Axios.

• "Getting your detection system out ahead of your capability buys you more standoff," he said. "It also means if it's targeted there aren't people around it."

Go deeper: Chaos Industries, armed with overseas experience, heads to Eglin