Axon Outperforms Kratos Defense on Growth and Valuation, Zacks Says

Motorola Solutions is scaling its recently acquired Silvus Technologies and D-Fend Solutions operations while executing across its mission-critical networks, command center software and video security businesses, Chief Operating Officer Jack Molloy said at a Truist conference. Silvus, acquired in August 2025, is expected to generate about $850 million in 2026 sales based on current capacity, with a new production line added in Culver City, California, and a Salt Lake City facility expected to begin contributing in the first quarter of 2027. Motorola Solutions also recently completed its acquisition of D-Fend Solutions, a cyber-based counter-drone vendor that was the only cyber-mitigation counter-unmanned aircraft system vendor selected in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security counter-drone grant program totaling $1.5 billion. The company reported record second-quarter orders and double-digit order growth in the first half of the year, and has guided for double-digit product growth in the second half, with 2026 expectations of 10% to 11% growth in mission-critical networks, about 11% in video security and about 15% in command center software. Molloy said rising DRAM and flash-memory prices have most affected the video business, prompting three substantial video price increases, while the company has maintained comparable gross margins and delivered 170 basis points of operating-margin expansion this year.

The US State Department has approved a proposed military arms sale to Ukraine worth up to $2.7 billion, according to a notification to Congress on the evening of Friday, September 18. The package covers upgrades to air defense systems, weapons and equipment, as well as related equipment and services, including S-300 replica missiles, GAM-67 missiles, longer-range laser-guided rockets, launcher modification kits and mobile firing systems, and counter-drone radars. However, the proposal still requires congressional review, and no final agreement has been reached. If the sale is completed, Ukraine will use funding from European countries together with the US Foreign Military Financing budget, which was allocated during the administration of former US President Joe Biden. The State Department said US funding for this sale will be counted as a contribution to the Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund under a one-to-one reimbursement agreement; the fund was established under a minerals agreement signed by the United States and Ukraine last year. The proposed arms sale comes as the administration of President Donald Trump seeks to shift more of the cost of supporting Ukraine onto European countries. Earlier in September, Trump said he would ask European countries to reimburse the United States for military aid and ammunition it had previously delivered to Ukraine. It also follows Trump's signing of legislation on Friday aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, and Trump had pledged to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine after taking office early last year, but fighting continues even after the first 20 months of his presidency.