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Red Cat Announces Multiyear Partnership with Washington Commanders to Support America’s Military Community

Sunday, August 16th, 2026

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SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 10, 2026 — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced a multiyear partnership with the Washington Commanders to support U.S. service members, veterans, and their families.

As a Proud Partner of the Washington Commanders, Red Cat and the team are working together on military appreciation initiatives, including community events, fan experiences, and recognition programs that honor service members, veterans, and military families throughout the season.

The partnership reflects both organizations’ commitments to supporting those who serve and highlights Red Cat’s mission to strengthen American leadership in autonomous systems. Through its Family of Systems, Red Cat develops secure, American made drone technologies that provide critical intelligence and situational awareness to the U.S. military and allied forces.

“Red Cat is focused on building the next generation of autonomous systems for the men and women who defend our country,” said Jeff Thompson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Red Cat. “Our partnership with the Washington Commanders extends that mission beyond the battlefield by recognizing the service and sacrifice of our military community. We are honored to work alongside an organization that shares our commitment to giving back to those who have given so much.”

Throughout the upcoming NFL season, Red Cat will launch a comprehensive marketing campaign across one of the country’s largest media markets. The partnership will include in-stadium branding and digital signage at Northwest Stadium, military appreciation programming, community initiatives, game day activations, and digital content that highlights Red Cat’s commitment to those who serve.

“The Washington Commanders are proud to partner with Red Cat to celebrate the military community and the values of service, leadership, and innovation,” said Jim Rushton, Chief Partnerships Officer of the Washington Commanders. “Together, we look forward to creating meaningful experiences that recognize our service members while engaging fans throughout the season.”

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CENTCOM Launches First-Ever Multinational Attack Drone Task Force

Friday, August 14th, 2026

TAMPA, Fla. — On Aug. 13, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced efforts to establish the first-ever multi-domain, multinational attack drone task force.

The unit, called Task Force Falcon Strike, will employ one-way attack drones consisting of unmanned systems from above, on, and below the sea operated by military support staff from the United States and regional partners.

Falcon Strike’s launch occurs nine months after CENTCOM established Task Force Scorpion Strike, the U.S. military’s first dedicated one-way attack drone squadron in the Middle East.

Scorpion Strike rapidly achieved key operational milestones, including the first-ever launch of an aerial attack drone from a U.S. Navy warship last December. The squadron also employed one-way unmanned aerial systems during Operation Epic Fury and during strikes on Iranian port facilities in July using unmanned attack vessels at sea.

“Task Force Falcon Strike will expand on Scorpion Strike’s success given the tremendous innovation happening among our regional allies and partners,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. “Integrating and deploying our new capabilities together will help us rapidly realize the new possibilities that are on the horizon.”

CENTCOM has initiated the process of consulting with and officially inviting regional partners. As regional partners formally join, Task Force Falcon Strike will scale attack drone capabilities across the Middle East into a unified multi-domain, multinational deterrent.

“The United States military has a lot of strong partnerships and friends in the region,” said Cooper. “We are collectively stronger when we integrate and deploy new capabilities together.”

Personnel from U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), which launched Scorpion Strike, will lead Falcon Strike’s staff of U.S. and regional representatives.

Headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, SOCCENT plans and conducts special operations across CENTCOM’s 21-country area of responsibility in the Middle East, Central Asia, and South Asia.

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Army Opens Premier Test Ranges to Private Industry for Rapid Innovation

Wednesday, August 12th, 2026

WASHINGTON — In a major effort to accelerate the delivery of critical capabilities to the warfighter, the U.S. Army announced today it is opening four premier stateside military test ranges and collaborating with partners to open an international military test range to private industry for their internal research, development and rapid experimentation.

Spearheaded by the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC), in close partnership with the Mississippi and Michigan National Guard and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), this initiative prioritizes commercial access to specialized environments ideal for testing drones, counter-drone technologies, long-range fires and low-cost interceptors.

The ranges designated for this effort include Dugway Proving Ground in Utah; West Cibola Range, a newly opened component of Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona; Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi; Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center in Michigan; and the Multidomain Training Area (MDTA) range complex, a component of the Africa Multidomain Training and Experimentation Center (AMTEC), in Morocco.

“A company with a good idea shouldn’t need a team of lawyers and a program of record just to prove their equipment works,” said Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. “So we fixed that. One front door — testrange.army.mil — a real person to walk you in, and on the other side, everything the modern battlefield demands: contested airspace, degraded signals and the space to test at real scale.”

To streamline access, the Army has launched a modern portal, which serves as a digital “front door” for industry. Companies can easily request range time and will be paired with a dedicated concierge who will assist them through the scheduling processes. Private industry does not need to have a prior U.S. government contract or existing federal relationship to submit a request.

“At Dugway Proving Ground and West Cibola Range, we are providing industry partners with unparalleled access to massive land and airspace that is perfect for the ‘fly, fail, fix, fly’ process necessary to mature emerging drone and long-range fires capabilities,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Gaydon, commanding general of ATEC. “By aligning our test processes with the speed of commercial innovation, we enable developers to rapidly prototype and iterate on their systems.”

In addition to standard testing, the Army will also host a special electromagnetic unreliability test event for private industry at Camp Grayling during the week of Sept. 13, 2026. This environment will mimic the contested electronic warfare conditions currently seen on the battlefield in Ukraine, offering industry a rare opportunity to harden their drone and counter-drone systems. The Army anticipates this opportunity will be repeated on a quarterly basis.

“I am grateful to the Secretary of the Army for selecting Camp Grayling to help advance defense innovation and support the modernization of our military,” said Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “This designation will help streamline research, development and innovation opportunities for Michigan’s defense industry, accelerate the delivery of emerging capabilities to the warfighter and further strengthen our partnership with the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command. We look forward to providing a realistic environment where government, industry and the military can work together to rapidly develop and evaluate the technologies that will shape the future battlefield.”

Camp Shelby represents the Mississippi National Guard’s contribution to the test range initiative.

“We are thrilled to partner with the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command,” said Maj. Gen. Bobby M. Ginn Jr., adjutant general of Mississippi and commanding general of the Mississippi National Guard. “Camp Shelby, with its distinct history of training warfighters coupled with its unique capabilities, stands out as an exceptional location for a test range. We are committed to supporting the T&E of cutting-edge technologies that empower our warfighters and enhance their operational effectiveness across all warfighting domains, operational imperatives and cross-cutting sectors.”

Internationally, AMTEC will provide dedicated physical space to ensure forces and systems are prepared to operate effectively in any environment. A key feature of the MDTA is the ability to operate in the full electromagnetic spectrum as well as contested environments.

“AMTEC represents a transformative leap in multinational collaboration,” said Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of AFRICOM. “This partnership will not only advance the capabilities of both the U.S. and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, but it will also provide the defense industrial base with a world-class international venue to experiment, innovate and develop scalable solutions for long-range fires and emerging technologies.”

While submitting a request does not guarantee a vendor’s desired location or timeline due to capacity limits, the Army concierge team will work closely with all applicants to find suitable testing locations and windows.

To view the new site, visit testrange.army.mil/ArmyRangeReservation/s/.

US Army Public Affairs

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Priority Units Demonstrate, Choose Their Own MRR Drones via UAS Marketplace

Wednesday, August 12th, 2026

CLARKE RANGE, ANNISTON, Ala. – The Capability Program Executive (CPE) Aviation Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Project Office is advancing company-level directed requirements — putting relevant, rapidly deployable drones in Soldiers’ hands, and creating capability decision space for Transformation in Contact (TiC) Units.

During a week of evaluation events performed by Product Office Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (SUAS), Soldiers in TiC units participated in Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) system demonstrations intended to inform their own system fielding selections.

As part of the Army’s initiative to test and field new technologies directly with operational units, this event allowed Soldiers to familiarize themselves with multiple Group 2 systems currently listed on the UAS Marketplace, perform live flight operations, and receive formal instruction on marketplace best practices and procurement procedures.

“From the unit level, having a lot more say of what potential systems and capabilities we get fielded is probably the biggest plus,” said CW2 Derrick Brown from 101st Airborne Division.

Brown said the ability to see the systems, understand their operation, transportation, crew requirements, range, and set-up in a hands-on environment was a positive experience.

Following the flight demonstrations, units were able to select up to two different systems to meet their specific Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) requirements. Those systems will be fielded and trained over the next several months.

“I think [the UAS Marketplace] cleans up a lot of the [acquisition] process by showing units what all the available options are, not just what’s slated to come to them,” said Capt. Max Laguna, 1st Calvary Division. “It also allows a comparative aspect that you didn’t have before.”

Laguna said seeing user feedback, verifiying system aspects, and reviewing in one place allowed him to make a more informed decision for the most effective tools to accomplish the mission.

During the event, units provided system feedback based on cost, product support, integrated payload options, configurations, and justifications for their decisions. Units were also encouraged to provide event feedback for future iterations of these events.

“Leveraging existing, readily available systems enables our formations to out-pace threats our Soldiers will encounter on the future battlefield,” said Col. Danielle Medaglia, Project Manager for the UAS Project Office. “Seeing these units learn about, provide feedback, and buy systems in real time proves this new approach to drone acquisition is working.”

This event is a prime example of the Army’s commitment to accelerating fielding and prioritizing Soldiers’ needs and preferences for their missions. With their new systems in-hand, these units can collect, develop, and maintain real-time situational awareness during their missions.

Capability Program Executive Aviation

Posted in Army, Drone, Guest Post | No Comments »

Sneak Peek – “Drone Stuff Is In The Works”

Tuesday, August 4th, 2026

Shaw Concepts Sends…

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Fort Rucker’s Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course Ramps Up Tactical Drone Training

Tuesday, August 4th, 2026

The Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course at Fort Rucker, Alabama, is pushing forward with a series of updates aimed at strengthening tactical proficiency and meeting student expectations, said Army Staff Sgt. Mario Rostran, the course’s noncommissioned officer in charge, and Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Gatta, the course manager.

Rostran said the leadership team is focused on refining instruction in response to student feedback to ensure the course delivers the advanced-level rigor it promises.

“We’re continuing to improve the course,” he said. “We’re taking comments as we go and making sure [that] we’re meeting the standards students expect. The goal is to make this the advanced course it claims to be.”

Working alongside the team, Gatta is helping expand hands-on training and strengthen tactical application throughout the program.

“The most significant update is increasing the amount of physical, kinetic engagements from five to 12,” he said. “We have been working to refine the overall course to run smoother and provide the most up-to-date data.”

To meet the demand for advanced instruction, the course is shifting to a more tactical framework. Gatta noted the class will complete a culminating exercise this week at the drone training facility in Daleville, Alabama, marking a new experience for the students.

“This exercise will demonstrate a more real-world tactical environment and incorporate a close-quarters battle level of training, whereas previous emphasis has been heavily placed on outdoor live flights,” he said. “Our current goal is to make the training more tactical in nature. I believe we have several solid plans to build on moving forward.”

During this iteration of the course, students conducted live-engagement training using a purpose-built attributable system, the Shank 1.0, and C-4, a versatile plastic explosive. The event allowed students to apply lessons learned by flying the system, coordinating altitude and executing tactical employment against a designated target.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Riley Watts, assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment, spent months trying to enroll in the course. He said attending has given him a clearer view of how unmanned aircraft systems fit into the future of Army aviation.

“This is a great course to keep you relevant in today’s force,” Watts said. “Seeing how UAS is being implemented and utilized in today’s Army is eye-opening, and it shows you how important it is to understand these systems.”

Matthew Baldwin, a civil engineering major at the U.S. Military Academy, is attending to take tactical drone employment strategies back to the academy’s future applied systems and tactics team. His leaders pushed to send two cadets to the course to expand their understanding of drone employment and to share that knowledge when they return.

Baldwin, who hopes to commission into the air defense artillery branch, said the course offers a perspective that will be important to future Army operations.

“One of the big questions is how to counter drones effectively,” he said. “You’re talking about sending a very expensive rocket to take out a cheap drone. Understanding drones from the operator’s side, how they fly, what they look for, helps you understand how to counter them.”

Although he arrived with limited tactical flying experience, he said the hands-on instruction has significantly boosted his confidence.

“I didn’t know how to tactically fly. It’s a completely different flying style,” Baldwin said. “I feel better flying them, and now we’re trying to develop a training program to help build other pilots on our team.”

Beyond flying, Baldwin highlighted the value of the course’s mission-planning segments.

“I’ve really appreciated the planning side, [the military decision-making process], troop-leading procedures, what goes into reconnaissance,” he said. “I hadn’t learned a lot of that yet. Going into my [fundamentals of small-unit operations] class and eventually into the Army, my knowledge base is definitely better now.”

The Unmanned Advanced Lethality Course runs six times per fiscal year, providing recurring opportunities for soldiers seeking advanced UAS training. Upcoming course dates are Sept. 14-Oct. 2, and Nov. 2-20.

By Leslie Herlick, Aviation Center of Excellence

Posted in Army, Drone, Guest Post, Training | No Comments »

The Office of Strategic Capital Signs $820 Million Conditional Loan Commitment with Performance Drone Works to Expand Domestic Drone Component Manufacturing

Friday, July 31st, 2026

The United States Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital announced today a conditional loan commitment of up to $820 million to Performance Drone Works to establish high-volume domestic manufacturing capacity for critical drone components.

Together, the OSC financing and additional private capital committed alongside it will support a new high-volume source of domestically manufactured components for use across the broader U.S. drone industrial base. The project is intended to supply components to multiple manufacturers and platforms, representing a significant expansion of domestic production capacity for drone components. These components are intended to support a range of Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aircraft produced by PDW and other domestic manufacturers. With this strategic financing, OSC will enable the development of production capacity to address critical component bottlenecks facing the broader U.S. unmanned-systems ecosystem.

“PDW will be one of several domestic component producers receiving OSC loan commitments in support of President Trump’s Executive Order 14307, ‘Unleashing American Drone Dominance.’ Expanding domestic component production will benefit manufacturers throughout the ecosystem and improve supply-chain resilience,” said David A. Lorch, Director of the Office of Strategic Capital and Senior Advisor to Deputy Secretary of War Steve Feinberg.

James R. Shanahan, Senior Managing Director at OSC, added, “We are squarely focused on identifying and addressing bottlenecks in critical supply chains, including drones and autonomous systems. OSC’s transaction with PDW, along with private capital crowded in alongside it, will support the construction of significant new manufacturing capacity to address vulnerabilities across the drone supply chain.”

The conditional loan commitment between OSC and PDW specifies customary additional steps the company must take to proceed toward financial close, including satisfying financial, legal, technical, and other due diligence requirements.

“Achieving Secretary Hegseth’s mandate for drone dominance requires a secure and resilient industrial base here at home. The Office of Strategic Capital is strengthening the domestic supply chain for critical drone components to ensure American manufacturers can deliver the lethal capabilities that our warfighters need,” said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering.

– DoW

Posted in Contracts, Drone, Press Release | No Comments »

Red Cat Receives $2.49 Million US Air Force Order for Black Widow Systems

Thursday, July 30th, 2026

AWARD SUPPORTS TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF BLACK WIDOW AS A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR TO THE AIR FORCE SECURITY FORCES’ CURRENT TEAL 2 FLEET
SALT LAKE CITY, July 30, 2026 — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced that its Teal Drones subsidiary has received a $2.49 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Air Force for Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft systems, training and related support.

The award includes Black Widow systems, train-the-trainer support, batteries, spares and shipping. According to the contract, the equipment will be used to conduct a technical and operational assessment of Black Widow as a potential successor to the Air Force Security Forces’ current Teal 2 fleet.

The customer organization is the U.S. Air Force Security Forces Center (AFSFC), which trains, equips, and managed program execution for the Air Force Security Forces enterprise worldwide. This encompasses active-duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Defenders. This technical and operational assessment positions Black Widow as a potential successor across the total AFSFC’s Teal 2 fleet, building on Red Cat’s momentum as the U.S. Army’s selected Short Range Reconnaissance platform.

“We are proud to support the U.S. Air Force across active-duty, Air National Guard, and reservists, as the AFSFC evaluates Black Widow for missions at the tactical edge,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “This assessment of the Black Widow reflects growing recognition across the Department of War that secure, American-made systems are essential for the operations our national defense and security organizations carry out every day.”

Black Widow is Red Cat’s flagship short-range reconnaissance system and the U.S. Army’s selected platform for its Short Range Reconnaissance Program. The system is designed to provide warfighters with rapidly deployable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The contract calls for delivery by August 24, 2026.

Posted in Air Force, Contracts, Drone, Press Release | No Comments »

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