Defense and aerospace firm Kongsberg Group of Norway has agreed to buy a controlling stake in U.S. missile developer Zone 5 Technologies, broadening its access to low-cost, mass-manufacturable strike and counter-drone solutions.
The agreement will see Kongsberg’s Defence and Aerospace division acquire 90 percent ownership of the San Luis Obispo–based company, while Zone 5’s management retains a minority interest. Although the deal’s financial value has not been revealed, it is subject to regulatory clearance, after which Zone 5 will function as a standalone subsidiary.
Since its establishment in 2011, Zone 5 has grown to a workforce of roughly 250 employees and generated more than $100 million in revenue during FY2025.
According to Kongsberg, modern combat environments have demonstrated the increasing importance of high-volume precision weapons to defeat large-scale drone threats and enable long-range strike operations—an operational gap the acquisition seeks to fill.
Zone 5’s key offerings include the Rusty Dagger subsonic missile, the White Spike counter-UAS interceptor, and the Paladin tactical hexacopter platform, reinforcing Kongsberg’s expanding weapons portfolio.
