AeroVironment IncSecured $186M Army order for Switchblade munitions, reflecting strong demand for drones.
Rising tensions with Iran are highlighting critical shortages in global defense supplies, particularly in drones, precision weapons, and artillery shells, which stands to benefit defense contractors AeroVironment and L3Harris Technologies. AeroVironment secured a $186 million U.S. Army order in February 2026 for its Switchblade loitering munitions under a five-year contract with a $990 million ceiling, reflecting the military's shift to integrating small drones as core tools. L3Harris reported a record backlog of $42 billion in the second quarter of 2026, driven by $7.3 billion in new orders and an 8% revenue increase to $5.9 billion, while committing roughly $2 billion to expand missile production capacity. Both companies are positioned at key supply chain choke points, with AeroVironment focused on small precision-strike systems and L3Harris on communications and missile capabilities, though execution risks and political budget cycles remain concerns.
AeroVironment IncSecured $186M Army order for Switchblade munitions, reflecting strong demand for drones.
L3Harris Technologies IncRecord $42B backlog and $7.3B new orders show robust demand for its products.