On Thursday, October 15, 2026, aerospace and defense technology company Redwire Corporation announced it has secured approximately $13.8 million in purchase orders from the U.S. National Guard Bureau to deliver Stalker uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).
The contract supports instruction and operational readiness for the U.S. Army’s new 15X Tactical UAS Specialist military occupational specialty (MOS).
Defense Contracting Heritage and Stalker Deployment History
The follow-on award expands Redwire’s tactical UAS footprint across allied and domestic military services. The procurement builds upon Redwire’s contract to deliver Stalker UAS to a European NATO ally and its selection for the U.S. Army Long Range Reconnaissance prototype phase.
By providing tactically responsive reconnaissance assets, the multi-mission aircraft supports front-line situational awareness while lowering the logistical burden on mobile operational units.
Stalker UAS Specifications and 15X MOS Training Architecture
The long-range Group 2 Stalker system is engineered to replicate multi-domain combat environments for incoming soldiers:
- Modular Architecture: Open-system payload bay designed for rapid field reconfiguration, accommodating electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imaging, electronic intelligence, and laser-designation payloads.
- Operational Role: Directly supports the Army’s newly established 15X Tactical UAS Specialist MOS, a consolidated rating combining drone piloting and field maintenance into a single operational specialty.
- Maneuver Formation Integration: Prepares operators to deploy and sustain Group 1 through Group 3 uncrewed systems within forward brigade and lower-echelon combat formations.
- Multi-Site Flight Training: Systems will be delivered directly to National Guard training installations at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, and Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
Executive Perspective on Operational Readiness
Company leadership underscored the necessity of adaptable uncrewed platforms for evolving multi-domain combat.
“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,” stated Joshua Stinson, Co-President and Chief Growth Officer at Redwire Defense Tech.
