Defense Innovation Unit
Every GovConFeed story on Defense Innovation Unit — contract awards, policy, enforcement, and protests, newest first.
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Awards
$203.5M+ in Drone Dominance Gauntlet II Orders: Neros $100M, XTEND $40.5M, Orqa $38M, Swarm $25M+
Pentagon Gauntlet II follow-on orders reported so far: Neros $100M, XTEND $40.5M for 6,000 STRIKERs, Orqa US $38M for 7,000 drones and Swarm Defense $25M+ for 4,000 Kiwis, with reported unit costs of $6,100 to $6,750 (Orqa's figure does not reconcile to its award).
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Awards
Navy Adds $150M to Shield AI's X-BAT Deal as AI-Piloted VTOL Fighter Nears First Flight
The Navy added $150 million to Shield AI's X-BAT other transaction agreement, matched by $150 million of company capital, bringing commitments to $400 million. The first full-scale prototype is weeks from completion, with VTOL flight tests set to begin by year's end.
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Awards
DIU Awards RIMES Contracts to Mach Industries, Shield AI, and AeroVironment for Ship-Launched 1,400-Mile Strike Drone
DIU selected Mach Industries, Shield AI, and AeroVironment on June 16, 2026 to develop runway-independent maritime strike drones under the RIMES program. Mach Industries' Atlas drone targets 1,400 nm range and 1,000-lb payload from Arleigh Burke destroyers.
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Awards
Air Force to Begin FAMM Cruise Missile Production in September, Eyes 28,000 Units Over Five Years With Anduril and CoAspire
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach confirmed September 2026 production start for the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles, with FY2026 funding already covering the first 1,000 rounds and a five-year plan to procure nearly 28,000 weapons.
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Awards
DIU Triples Hermeus Contract to $219M as Quarterhorse Mach-3 Drone Shifts From Test Vehicle to Weapon System
The Defense Innovation Unit added $159 million to its Hermeus Quarterhorse contract, bringing the ceiling to $219 million, as the Mach-3 drone program officially pivots from a test asset to a weapon platform ahead of Mk 2.2 flight tests in 2026.
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Awards
OTAs hit $18B/year — and the FY26 NDAA opens them up further
Other Transaction Authority agreements grew from $1.8B in FY16 to over $18B in FY24. The FY26 NDAA expands Commercial Solutions Openings to all commercial products and services, and eliminates the written-determination requirement above $10M. A real non-FAR path for firms that find FAR procurement impossible.
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Awards
DIU's $979M budget + 51% prototype-to-production rate — the shortest path into DoD for commercial firms
The Defense Innovation Unit operates with $979 million in FY2026 funding, 60-90 day award cycles, and a 51% transition rate from prototype to production. For commercial firms that can't survive traditional FAR procurement, DIU is often the only realistic federal entry.
