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.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 2026 — The Peace Through Strength Institute will host a high-level Ground Truth Symposium on March 25, 2026, 11 am to 3 pm, at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Congressional Auditorium, bringing frontline Ukrainian battlefield commanders to Washington to brief policymakers, defense leaders, and journalists on the rapidly evolving realities of drone warfare.

You are invited to attend a news conference in a separate room at the Capitol Visitor Center following the symposium at 3:30 pm where speakers will be available to answer journalist’s questions.

As the U.S. confronts waves of Iranian Shahed drones in the Middle East, American officials are warning that traditional air defenses may not be able to intercept them all. Recent briefings to Congress have acknowledged that these low-cost drones can overwhelm expensive interceptor systems and strain U.S. missile stockpiles.

Symposium participants will include commanders from elite Ukrainian drone and unmanned systems units such as the 12th Special Forces Brigade and the 414th UAV Brigade “Magyar’s Birds.” (Find a detailed list below.)

Also presenting will be analysts, manufacturers, and defense technology experts involved in the rapid development of counter-drone strategies. 

Congressman Don Bacon will open the symposium.

But this is believed to be the first time active Ukrainian drone commanders have traveled to Washington to brief policymakers and journalists directly. They represent the first generation of leaders operating daily in what analysts describe as the world’s first drone-dominated battlefield.

Ukraine’s experience offers critical lessons for the United States and its allies – lessons the United States and our allies need now in the Iranian conflict.

The Ukrainian commanders appearing at the symposium have developed innovative countermeasures, including layered defense networks, electronic warfare, and drone-on-drone interception systems that are already reshaping modern military doctrine.

Event Details

Event: Ground Truth Symposium

Host: Peace Through Strength Institute, Bill Cole, President

Date: March 25, 2026; 11 am to 3 pm

Location: Capitol Visitor Center, Congressional Auditorium, Washington, D.C.

News Availability: Immediately following the Symposium, at 3:30 pm, presenters and moderators will be available in a separate room at the Capitol Visitor Center to answer questions from the media.

Audience:

Members of Congress, congressional staff, national security policymakers, defense experts, and journalists.

Featured Speakers Include battle-front commanders, personnel, and industry experts:

The 12th Special Forces Brigade

The Lazar Group

429th UAV Brigade “Achilles” 

414th UAV Brigade “Magyar’s Birds” 

59th UAV Brigade “Steppe Predators” 

93rd Brigade 

107th Separate Air Wing (F16 Pilot) 

Military experts in electronic warfare and unmanned systems

Defense technology investors and analysts involved in Ukraine’s drone ecosystem