Red Cat Secures New Orders for Black Widow™ Drones from Asia-Pacific Ally
Rhea-AI Summary
Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) announced that in December 2025 an Asia-Pacific ally selected its Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft system on a competitive tender, with delivery of an undisclosed number of systems scheduled during calendar year 2026.
Each system includes two Black Widow aircraft, a ground control station, and mission-critical components. This is the second Asia-Pacific ally to order Black Widow systems for military use. The platform is U.S.-built, NDAA-compliant, and part of Red Cat’s modular Family of Systems.
Positive
- Second Asia-Pacific ally ordered Black Widow systems (selection in Dec 2025)
- Delivery scheduled during calendar year 2026, providing a clear delivery window
- NDAA-compliant U.S.-built platform supports defense procurement requirements
Negative
- Order quantity and contract value are undisclosed, limiting financial visibility
- Company provided no revenue or timing details beyond 2026 delivery, hindering near-term impact assessment
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Multiple aerospace/defense peers were also weak, with LUNR and RDW in the momentum scanner, each down about 4% and without same-day news. Argus notes 2 peers moving down (median move -4.0%), pointing to broader sector pressure alongside RCAT’s -9.58% move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20 | Investor event announcement | Positive | +5.4% | Planned Innovation Day with product roadmap and demonstrations for investors. |
| Jan 13 | Preliminary earnings | Positive | +9.4% | Preliminary Q4 and FY25 revenue showing sharp year-over-year growth. |
| Dec 23 | Regulatory/NDAA update | Positive | -0.4% | Support for NDAA Section 1709 and positioning of NDAA-compliant drone systems. |
| Dec 16 | Cybersecurity assessment | Positive | -1.5% | Selection of SpiderOak for Blue UAS cybersecurity assessment of Black Widow. |
| Dec 16 | Conference participation | Positive | -1.5% | Announcement of participation in the Needham Growth Conference and webcast. |
Recent news on growth and visibility, especially revenue updates and investor events, often saw positive reactions, while routine corporate or strategic updates around Black Widow and conferences sometimes aligned with mild selling.
Over the last few months, Red Cat has highlighted rapid growth and expanding defense positioning. Preliminary Q4 and full-year 2025 revenue guidance on Jan 13, 2026 showed triple‑digit growth and drew a +9.38% reaction. An Innovation Day announcement on Jan 20, 2026 also lifted shares by 5.41%. In December 2025, updates tied to NDAA Section 1709, Blue UAS cybersecurity work for Black Widow, and a Needham conference appearance all saw modest negative reactions, indicating investors occasionally sold into non-financial or positioning news.
Regulatory & Risk Context
The company has an effective Form S-3 shelf filed on 2025-09-15 that references a $14.0 million acquisition of FlightWave Aerospace Systems and outlines mechanics for future securities offerings. The shelf has been used at least 2 times via 424B5 supplements in September 2025, indicating an established framework for raising additional capital if management chooses.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement adds another international defense customer for Red Cat’s Black Widow™ sUAS, marking a second Asia-Pacific ally order and reinforcing the platform’s NDAA-compliant, tactical ISR positioning. It follows preliminary FY25 revenue guidance of $38.0M–$41.0M and Q3 cash of $206.43 million, as well as institutional interest from BlackRock and Vanguard. Investors may watch for disclosed order quantities, follow-on awards, audited results, and any further use of the existing S-3 shelf for capital raising.
Key Terms
ISR technical
ground control station technical
NDAA regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced that in December 2025, an Asia-Pacific ally selected its Black Widow™ sUAS on a competitive tender, with delivery of an undisclosed number of systems scheduled for delivery during calendar year 2026. This is the second Asia-Pacific ally to recently order Black Widow systems for military use. Further details on both orders are expected to be made available in the near future.
Each system includes two Black Widow aircraft, a ground control station (GCS), and other mission-critical components.
“This agreement highlights the trust our international partners place in Red Cat to deliver secure, U.S.-built drone systems purpose-built for today’s battlefield,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “We’re honored to support our Asia-Pacific allies with a portable ISR platform engineered for performance in contested environments. As geopolitical dynamics shift, we see accelerating demand for autonomous, interoperable technologies that enhance allied operational readiness. This order underscores Red Cat’s growing role as a strategic partner in the region.”
The Black Widow™ is Red Cat’s flagship small, unmanned aircraft system (sUAS), engineered for tactical edge ISR missions with a compact, rugged design and secure communications architecture. Built in the U.S. and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the platform is a key part of Red Cat’s Family of Systems, offering modular, scalable solutions across multiple operational domains.
About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.
Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat develops American-made hardware and software that support military, government, and public safety operations across air, land, and sea. Its Family of Systems, led by Black Widow™, delivers unmatched tactical capabilities in small, unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). Expanding into the maritime domain through Blue Ops, Inc., Red Cat is also innovating in uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), delivering integrated platforms designed to enhance safety and multi-domain mission effectiveness. Learn more at www.redcat.red.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "seek," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "aim," "should," "will" "would," or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to our intended use of proceeds from the offering, annual revenue guidance, future manufacturing capacities and future market demand. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Form 10-KT filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2025. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.
Investor Contact:
Ankit Hira
Solebury Strategic Communications for Red Cat Holdings, Inc.
E-mail: RCAT@soleburystrat.com
Media Contact:
Peter Moran
Phone: (347) 880-2895
Email: peter@indicatemedia.com
FAQ
What did Red Cat (RCAT) announce about Black Widow orders in February 2026?
When will Red Cat (RCAT) deliver the Black Widow systems ordered by the Asia-Pacific ally?
How many aircraft are included in each Black Widow system ordered by RCAT?
Is the Black Widow platform compliant with U.S. defense procurement rules mentioned in the RCAT announcement?
Does Red Cat disclose the number and value of the Black Widow order for the Asia-Pacific ally?
