Motorola Solutions to Acquire D-Fend Solutions for $1.5 Billion

Ondas announced on Wednesday that it launched Dronebuster REACH, a long-range counter-drone system, with the first unit contracted to the Office of Naval Research. REACH uses electronic attacks to disrupt drones at longer ranges and higher power, extending the company's existing Dronebuster product line, and integrates with Ondas's detection and command-and-control systems for a layered counter-drone setup. Ondas said its Dronebuster systems have been deployed in more than 50 countries, with over 3K units delivered. On the market side, the stock traded near $7.50.

DroneShield secured access to a three-year U.S. government contract vehicle worth up to $500 million, sending its shares up 9% to a one-month high. The Australian counter-drone technology company said it was awarded an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract supporting Joint Interagency Task Force 401's Domestic Shield initiative, with a maximum value of $500 million over three years. The company stressed that the $500 million is the maximum value of the contract vehicle rather than an immediate order or revenue award, and that the vehicle provides a streamlined procurement pathway for rapid deployment of counter-unmanned aircraft systems across the United States. The award expands DroneShield's exposure to U.S. government procurement and follows a $24.9 million JIATF-401 contract announced in June, which included an initial $19.3 million award plus options. DroneShield has also been installing its DroneSentry-X Mk2 systems under the earlier JIATF-401 program, with acceptance by the U.S. military announced earlier this month.

President Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's leader, said Taiwan needs to tighten cooperation with democratic countries in developing drone technology, which is crucial to waging modern warfare, amid rising military pressure from China. Speaking today at the groundbreaking ceremony for a new drone development center in Chiayi in southern Taiwan, he said that from the battlefields of Ukraine to security in the Indo-Pacific region, drones have become a key fighting force in modern national defense. He called on Taiwan to work with democratic countries to develop a secure and resilient drone supply chain in order to support peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. His remarks came as the Taiwanese government pushes ahead with military upgrades and higher defense budgets as one of its main policies, after China stepped up military pressure on Taiwan earlier this month. Taiwan's Cabinet proposed adding 145.7 billion Taiwan dollars, about 4.59 billion US dollars, to this year's defense budget. The budget covers the procurement of drones and missile interception systems, including more than 600 surveillance and coastal patrol drones, more than 40,000 coastal attack drones, and more than 100 explosive-laden unmanned boats. Lai said Taiwan has strengths in semiconductors, information and communications technology, and high-precision manufacturing bases that can be leveraged to develop a drone industry.