California-based defense technology provider AEVEX Aerospace has secured a $41 million contract to deliver one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems to U.S. government customers. The agreement highlights expanding operational demand for rapidly deployable autonomous strike capabilities engineered for contested and GPS-denied environments. While the specific government agency, delivery timeline, and platform configurations were not disclosed, the award expands the company’s involvement in high-priority national security operations.
The portfolio powering AEVEX’s loitering munition architecture traces back to its involvement in the Phoenix Ghost initiative, accelerated by the U.S. Air Force in April 2022 to provide specialized uncrewed capabilities to Ukraine. The product family encompasses various platforms designed for scalable multi-mission performance, including the Group III Disruptor system, which features over 14 hours of endurance, an operational range of up to 1,400 km, and a 22.6 kg payload capacity for kinetic or ISR configurations. This was reported in an official press release by AEVEX Aerospace.
Company leadership emphasized that operational lessons from real-world deployments continue to shape system design, prioritizing rapid delivery and precision performance under complex battlefield conditions. The award builds on previous defense wins, including the selection of the Atlas Precision Strike System for the U.S. Army’s Launched Effects–Short Range program. To support growing demand across air and maritime domains, AEVEX is actively expanding its domestic manufacturing capacity, mission autonomy integration, and field-aligned engineering for U.S. forces and international partners.
