TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Veterans Day – The Office of the Assistant Secretary of War (OASW) for Special Operations / Low-Intensity Conflict (SO/LIC) Capability Development & Innovation (CD&I) Directorate competitively awarded XTEND Reality Inc., a multi-million-dollar Firm Fixed Price Contract to rapidly develop and deliver Affordable Close Quarter Modular Effects FPV Drone Kits – (ACQME-DK). The contract award is a testament to XTEND’s leadership in the OWA market and a clear customer preference for a high-voltage Electronic Safe and Arm Device. (ESAD).
Next generation ACQME-DK lethal sUAS kits with training will be purpose built and provided to Department of War small tactical team operators to help increase their precision strike lethality & survivability when conducting assigned irregular warfare operations in complex urban terrain and rural confined spaces.
The company will deliver training, spares, maintenance and production from its Tampa, FL headquarters, providing an important domestic source of supply.
Swarm-based autonomy is rapidly reshaping modern warfighting doctrine, shifting from single-platform control to distributed, collaborative robotic systems performing complex missions at the tactical edge. Remote-operated swarms deliver precision, lethality, and survivability effects deep inside contested battlespaces without risking personnel or relying on fragile beyond-line-of-sight links.
XTEND’s focus on one–way attack loitering munition delivers lethality at low cost–per–kill, aligns with Secretary of War Hegseth’s Directives.
KEY INNOVATION AND DIFFERENTIATION:
- One–way attack capability, mission–focused. A purpose–built loitering munition converting tactical intent into lethality while keeping operator cognitive load at a minimum.
- Safety & certification. XTEND’s ESAD high–voltage fuse safety board approval, a key differentiator.
- Battle–proven performance. System components and AI behaviors are derived from field experience in multiple theaters, and optimized for repeatable effectiveness in contested environments.
- Dual–comms resilience (Fiber Optic Cable + hardened RF). Anti–jam, low–latency control to maintain mission continuity under heavy EW.
- Modular VTOL + munitions kit. Rapid reconfiguration in the filed as mission requires types (day/night recon surveillance, reloadable reusable distraction device, lethal inert training payload, lethal payload) with emphasis on lethal attack role.
- Measured cost effectiveness. System design and logistics optimized to reduce cost–per–kill and enable high operational tempo consistent with warfighters need.
AVIV SHAPIRA – XTEND CEO & CO-FOUNDER
“This is the first operational system in the world that allows one operator to command and deploy swarms of AI enabled tactical drones remotely, with resilient Fiber Optic-plus-RF dual-comms precision and zero-latency control,” said Aviv Shapira, Co-Founder & CEO of XTEND. “After years of real combat deployments across five war zones, this is not a concept – it is a battle-proven system, lessons learned and applied, that gives war fighters reach and unparalleled tactical overmatch.”
RUBI LIANI – XTEND CTO & CO-FOUNDER
“Our XOS unifies sensors, radars, payloads, and third-party features and apps into a single AI-driven mission backbone,” said Rubi Liani, Co-Founder & CTO. “This program extends that advantage deeper into complex terrain, scaling both precision and survivability through fully coordinated swarm behavior.”
ABOUT XTEND
XTEND is a world leader in battle-proven AI robotics, trusted by the U.S. Department of War and the IDF. At its core is XOS – the XTEND operating system – merging human intent with AI autonomy to turn mission goals into coordinated robotic action. With over 10,000 systems deployed across air, land, and sea in more than 32 countries, XTEND’s platforms remove soldiers from harm’s way while delivering zero-learning-time, multi-mission capability. From close quarters combat to coordinated swarm operations, XTEND’s drones execute complex missions even without GPS or communications. Scaled through its local-production model, and a global manufacturing network spanning the U.S., Israel, Europe, and Singapore, XTEND is now expanding its proven defense technologies into private security and critical infrastructure protection.
More at: www.xtend.me
Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2818895/XTEND.mp4
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2819946/XTEND_Drones.jpg
