Redwire Wins $13.8 Million in National Guard Orders for Stalker UAS

Redwire Corporation (RDW ) announced on October 15, 2026 that it secured additional purchase orders valued at approximately 13.8 million U.S. dollars to deliver its Stalker Uncrewed Aircraft Systems to the U.S. National Guard Bureau, which will use the aircraft to train soldiers entering the Army’s newest drone specialty.

In the announcement, datelined Jacksonville, Florida, Redwire said the orders support the National Guard Bureau’s evolving mission requirements and UAS modernization priorities. The long range, Group 2 Stalker UAS will provide National Guard instructors with a platform to train incoming soldiers on complex flight operations, field maintenance, and multi-mission payload deployment. Redwire described Stalker as a highly reliable, modular system and said it serves as an ideal bridge for this advanced training environment because of its ease of use and what the company called a sophisticated yet highly learnable architecture.

15X Tactical UAS Specialist Training

National guardsmen will use Stalker to master the competencies required by the Army’s newest Military Occupational Specialty, the 15X Tactical UAS Specialist. According to the announcement, the 15X MOS combines the traditional roles of UAS operator and maintainer into a single, highly adaptable operator, a change Redwire characterized as a major paradigm shift in military aviation. Guardsmen trained under the curriculum are expected to embed within maneuver formations to operate, maintain, and rapidly troubleshoot Group 1 through Group 3 systems at the tactical edge.

The aircraft will be deployed across key regional training sites, including Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. Redwire said that with Stalker fielded at these sites, the National Guard Bureau is pursuing standardized, high-tier instruction that replicates the multi-domain challenges guardsmen will face when integrated into brigade and lower-level maneuver units.

“As the threat environment evolves so do mission requirements, and the National Guard requires versatile operators who are trained on combat proven aircraft that are ready to field,” said Joshua Stinson, Co-President and Chief Growth Officer at Redwire Defense Tech. Stinson said Stalker offers advanced multi-mission capabilities and operational durability in extreme environments, and added that Redwire is proud to partner with the National Guard Bureau to equip guardsmen with hands-on experience for domestic readiness and overseas mission success.

Earlier Stalker Awards and Defense Tech Results

The National Guard purchase orders follow earlier Stalker awards Redwire disclosed in its second-quarter 2026 earnings release on August 5, 2026. The company listed key follow-on awards for the Stalker Block 30 from both the Marine Corps Portfolio Acquisition Executive Robotic Autonomous Systems and the 1st Aviation Brigade, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, among the quarter’s highlights. The same release disclosed contracts to deliver Penguin uncrewed aerial systems across the globe, including a multi-year contract valued at high eight figures from an undisclosed NATO country and a contract from Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. for the Taiwan Coast Guard.

Redwire’s Defense Tech segment, which includes the Edge Autonomy business acquired in the second quarter of 2025, recorded revenue of $61.882 million and Segment Adjusted EBITDA of $14.083 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, according to the earnings release. The segment posted a book-to-bill ratio of 2.35 for the quarter, with $145.139 million in Defense Tech contracts awarded, and ended June 30, 2026 with $220.177 million in contracted backlog.

Company-wide, Redwire reported record second-quarter revenue of $117.1 million, an increase of 89.6% year-over-year, a gross margin of 27.8%, and record contracted backlog of $542.1 million. Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President Peter Cannito said the quarter “was defined by successful execution.” Chief Financial Officer Chris Edmunds said the company reduced the aggregate amount of its term loans from $90.0 million to $50.0 million during the quarter and ended it with record total liquidity of $607.8 million. Redwire reaffirmed its forecast of $450 million to $500 million in revenue for the full year ended December 31, 2026.

Redwire describes itself as an integrated space and defense tech company with approximately 1,400 employees located throughout North America and Europe, delivering uncrewed aircraft, advanced optics, and resilient energy solutions used by allied government and civilian operations worldwide.