Swarm Defense Technologies has received a prototype delivery order for 4,000 Kiwi one-way attack drones and associated munitions worth at least $25 million. The procurement follows the second phase of the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Program, known as Gauntlet 2. During the evaluation, military personnel tested the Kiwi system in realistic operational scenarios to assess its performance and suitability for future missions. The order also includes Strike Deck, the company’s ground-control software. Swarm Defense Technologies says Strike Deck can allow a single operator to control dozens of Kiwi drones, providing a centralized method for managing multiple unmanned systems. The size of the order highlights the growing emphasis on producing attack drones in significant numbers rather than relying exclusively on smaller quantities of high-cost platforms. The Kiwi is designed as a one-way attack drone, meaning the aircraft is intended to reach its target and expend itself during the mission. The Pentagon’s Drone Dominance initiative is examining how such systems can contribute to distributed and scalable unmanned warfare. The latest order follows an evaluation stage and moves the Kiwi program toward prototype delivery at a substantial quantity.
