ARLINGTON, Va. — April 15, 2026 — AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV) today announced the debut of MAYHEM 10, a groundbreaking, multi-role launched effects system purpose-built for deployment from air, ground, and maritime platforms.  

MAYHEM 10 is an autonomous, multi-role launched effects system that delivers significant operational versatility with a modular payload that supports interchangeable lethal and non-lethal effects—including intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, communications relay, and precision strike—tailored to specific mission requirements and adaptable as operational conditions change. 

“MAYHEM 10 sets a new standard for operational versatility and survivability on the modern battlefield,” said Wahid Nawabi, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer at AV. “By integrating advanced autonomy, multi-domain payloads, and rapid adaptability, we empower our forces to sense, disrupt, and strike with precision—even in the most contested environments. This breakthrough allows commanders to extend their reach, accelerate decision-making, and maintain superiority without putting crews or high-value assets at unnecessary risk.” 

Developed on the heritage of AV’s Switchblade® family and designed for demanding, contested environments, MAYHEM 10 boasts a 10-pound (4.5 kg) payload capacity, up to 100 km operational range, 50 minutes of endurance, and readiness for assembly and launch in less than five minutes.  

Built using a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), the system supports seamless upgrades, third-party payload integration, and unified control through AV’s Tomahawk Grip controller and AV_Halo™ COMMAND interface, empowering networked, distributed, and scalable employment alone or in collaborative swarms to execute multiple effects in parallel and adapt quickly to evolving threats and mission needs. 

“MAYHEM 10 changes how forces generate combat power by enabling collaborative swarm operations at scale,” said Brian Young, Senior Vice President of Loitering Munitions at AV. “Operators can employ multiple systems to work collaboratively—expanding coverage, overwhelming defenses, and executing synchronized effects across the battlespace—without increasing platform risk or force concentration.” 

MAYHEM 10 features a removeable forward modular payload for rapid integration of third-party payloads to enhance mission flexibility. Its self-contained launcher supports flexible deployment across dismounted, mobile ground, air-mounted and vehicle-mounted operations.  

Advanced autonomy is powered by an AI-driven processor and enables effective operations in contested and denied environments, with resilience to jamming, spoofing, and navigation-denied conditions. Secure navigation and communication are facilitated by M-Code GPS and Silvus datalink, while a MANET secure mesh network ensures robust command-and-control links with a 25-40 km link range.  

Key features of the MAYHEM 10. 

Multi-Platform Extended Standoff: Deployable from air, ground, and maritime platforms, MAYHEM 10 extends host-platform standoff by enabling threat detection and engagement at range—pushing sensing and effects 100+ km forward while reducing risk to crews and high-value assets. 

One System, Multiple Effects: A single MAYHEM 10 supports configurations for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare/disruption, deception/decoy, communications relay, and precision strike with up to 10 lbs of tailorable nonlethal or lethal payloads—without changing launch concepts.  

Scalable, Coordinated Effects: Employ MAYHEM 10 individually or in collaborative swarms to expand coverage, overwhelm or confuse defenses, and execute multiple effects in parallel—without concentrating forces or crewed platforms. 

Autonomy for Contested Environments: AI-enabled autonomy allows MAYHEM 10 to maintain mission effectiveness through jamming, spoofing, degraded communications, and denied navigation, reducing reliance on continuous operator control and operator burden. 

Built to Adapt and Evolve: A Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)-based, interoperable architecture enables rapid payload integration, autonomy upgrades, and system employment keeping MAYHEM 10 aligned with evolving threats, networks, and priorities. 

ALBUQUERQUE, NM, Apr. 7, 2026 — X-Bow Systems Inc (X-Bow), the leading non-traditional producer of advanced manufactured solid rocket motors (SRMs), sub-orbital launch solutions and defense technologies, today announced a $12.2 million contract with AEVEX to produce rocket-assisted take-off (RATO) kits for AEVEX’s Disruptor drone. X-Bow will deliver hundreds of production kits and thousands of SRMs and components between March and August 2026, demonstrating its commitment to building fast, fielding faster, and delivering now to meet urgent defense needs.

X-Bow’s RATO2 motor launching an AEVEX Disruptor drone.

X-Bow’s RATO² (Rapidly Assembled Tactical Option for Rocket-Assisted Takeoff ™) system allows drones to take off from unprepared surfaces and confined spaces, significantly expanding operational flexibility in modern conflict zones.

Jason Hundley, Founder and CEO of X-Bow, stated, “This contract validates our ability to rapidly scale production and meet urgent defense needs. Our technology is critical for enhancing the capabilities of modern unmanned aircraft.”

The global military drone market is projected to grow significantly, with increasing demand for systems capable of operating in diverse environments. X-Bow’s RATO² technology addresses this need by enabling drones to operate from a wider range of locations and potentially extending their payload capacity and range.

This latest contract caps a series of recent awards for X-Bow, totaling $212 million in the past six months. Unlike traditional defense contractors, X-Bow’s agile approach and proprietary manufacturing processes reduce time-to-market for critical defense technologies from years to months.

X-Bow’s RATO² production kits, which include solid rocket motors and launch cradles, incorporate proprietary technologies such as advanced propellant formulations and innovative manufacturing processes, positioning the company as a leader in next-generation solid rocket motor technology.

Looking ahead, X-Bow plans to expand its product portfolio to address emerging needs in hypersonic propulsion, low-cost interceptors, next-generation space-based interceptors, and evolved sub-orbital space launch systems.

About X-Bow Systems

Since 2016, X-Bow Systems has rapidly evolved into the non-traditional leader in advanced solid rocket motor manufacturing and sub-orbital launch services, spearheading American reindustrialization in the new defense industrial base. Guided by its mission to “build fast, field faster, deliver now,” X-Bow is addressing critical munitions shortages and gaps in defense and space sectors through proprietary energetics technology, vertical integration from propellant development to full rocket assembly, and end-to-end launch capabilities. Backed by prominent aerospace and venture capital investors—including Crosslink Capital, Razor’s Edge Ventures, Balerion Space Ventures, Boeing, Arkenstone Capital, The Capital Factory, Upsher Management Company, Event Horizon Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures—X-Bow is headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a dedicated R&D facility in Socorro, NM. The company has additional presence in Texas, Mississippi, California, Alabama, Colorado, Utah, Maryland, and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.XBowSystems.com.