Black Widow
Red Cat's small reconnaissance drone; first US-listed sUAS to win a NATO procurement order via NSPA.
Last refreshed: 10 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Black Widow
Ordered by NATO ally via NSPA and separately by Asia-Pacific ally
Drones: Industry & Defence: Red Cat lands NATO order via NSPA, Kyiv tie-upMentioned in: Red Cat Acquires Swarm Autonomy Startup
Drones: Industry & Defence- What is the Red Cat Black Widow drone?
- The Black Widow is Red Cat Holdings' short-range reconnaissance sUAS, used by US Special Operations Forces under the Army's SRR programme and classified as a Blue UAS (US-origin, supply-chain verified). In May 2026 it became the first US-listed sUAS to receive a NATO procurement order routed via NSPA.Source: Red Cat Holdings Q1 2026 earnings release
- Which NATO country ordered the Red Cat Black Widow?
- Red Cat has not disclosed which NATO ally placed the Black Widow order routed via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency in May 2026. A second, separate order also came from an Asia-Pacific ally.Source: Red Cat Holdings Q1 2026 earnings release
- What is the difference between NSPA and Foreign Military Sales for drone procurement?
- Foreign Military Sales (FMS) is a bilateral mechanism where one government buys from another. An NSPA-routed order draws on alliance-pooled NATO budgets and is administered by NATO's institutional procurement Arm, widening the pool of officials who can authorise follow-on contracts.Source: Red Cat Holdings Q1 2026 earnings release
- Is the Black Widow drone approved for sale to US allies?
- Yes. The Black Widow holds Blue UAS designation, confirming it has a verified US-origin supply chain. This makes it eligible for allied military procurement where Chinese-origin components are banned, and it has already cleared NATO's NSPA procurement channel.
- Why did NATO order Black Widow drones through NSPA?
- NSPA routing draws on alliance-pooled NATO funding rather than a single member state's bilateral defence budget, allowing cost-sharing across allies. A NATO ally used this channel for Black Widow in May 2026, the first US-listed sUAS to clear the NSPA procurement mechanism.Source: Red Cat Holdings Q1 2026 earnings release
- Is the Black Widow drone approved under the Pentagon's Blue UAS programme?
- Yes. The Black Widow is approved under the Pentagon's Blue UAS framework, which certifies US-origin, supply-chain-verified drones as eligible for sensitive military procurement where Chinese-origin systems are excluded.Source: Red Cat Holdings
- How fast is Red Cat growing from Black Widow sales?
- Red Cat reported Q1 2026 revenue of $15.5 million, up 849% year-on-year from $1.6 million, driven primarily by Black Widow military deliveries. Management projects an annual revenue run rate of $150-180 million.Source: Red Cat Holdings Q1 2026 earnings release
Background
The Black Widow is a small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) produced by Red Cat Holdings, a US-listed drone manufacturer based in Puerto Rico. The system is designed for reconnaissance missions and has been supplied to US Special Operations Forces as part of the Army's Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme. Red Cat's Black Widow has formed the core of the company's rapid revenue growth, with Q1 2026 revenue reaching $15.5 million, up 849% year-on-year, driven by military deliveries .
The Black Widow is classified as a "blue" (US-origin, supply-chain verified) drone under the Pentagon's Blue UAS framework, making it eligible for sensitive military procurement where Chinese-origin systems are excluded. Its NSPA routing positions Red Cat to compete for additional allied orders beyond the bilateral Foreign Military Sales channel.
In May 2026, a NATO ally placed a Black Widow order routed through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), the alliance's institutional procurement Arm. A separate Asia-Pacific ally placed a second order. These mark the first time a US-listed sUAS has entered NATO procurement via the NSPA mechanism, which draws on alliance-pooled funding rather than a single member state's bilateral budget . Red Cat simultaneously signed a partnership with Ukraine's state arms exporter Spetstechnoexport for next-generation unmanned systems co-development, and agreed to acquire Canadian wireless-power company Quaze Technologies for approximately $25 million in stock to extend the platform's operational endurance.