Aerospace & Defense · Week of Nov 2, 2026
Guidance raises and billion-dollar bets: the week in aerospace
Earnings from Kratos and MDA Space, large capital deals from Axon and AST SpaceMobile, and a record lessor order for the Boeing 737-10.
Two space and defense suppliers reported third-quarter results and raised guidance. Kratos says revenues rose 35.7 percent to $471.8 million with backlog reaching $2.650 billion, and MDA Space says revenues rose 21.5% to $498.1 million as it lifted 2026 guidance to $1.90 - $1.95 billion. Both pointed to program-driven growth, though MDA Space's backlog fell $443.7 million year over year.
The week also brought large capital commitments. Axon is putting approximately $1.2 billion into Skydio at a $5.2 billion pre-money valuation, and AST SpaceMobile plans to pay approximately $800 million upfront for a license to build Firefly Aerospace engines for its own rocket. In commercial aviation, Boeing and Avolon finalized 140 737-10 jets, which the companies call a record 737 MAX order by a lessor. Smaller items came from DEFSEC, Horizon Aircraft and Flyte Aviation.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.
KRATOS DEFENSE & SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.
Kratos reported third quarter 2026 revenues of $471.8 million, up 35.7 percent, with bookings of $1.037 billion, a 2.2 to 1.0 book-to-bill ratio and a net loss of $0.2 million. The company tightened 2026 revenue guidance to $1,780 million to $1,810 million and issued an initial 2027 forecast of $2.1 billion to $2.2 billion in revenues.
MDA Space
MDA SPACE REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2026 RESULTS
MDA Space reported Q3 2026 revenues of $498.1 million, up 21.5%, with Satellite Systems revenue up 26.4% and Adjusted EBITDA of $96.0 million, and raised 2026 guidance to $1.90 - $1.95 billion in revenue. The company credits the Telesat Lightspeed and Geointelligence programs, and reports a net cash position of $1,328.0 million against backlog of $3,949.1 million, down $443.7 million from a year earlier.
Axon
Axon Invests $1.2 Billion in Skydio to Build the Future of Drone as First Responder
Axon says it will invest approximately $1.2 billion in cash and stock in Skydio, adding about 20% to its fully diluted ownership at a $5.2 billion pre-money valuation, and become Skydio's exclusive public safety distributor in the U.S. and Canada. Skydio's public safety customers in those countries will buy through Axon, and closing is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026 and first quarter of 2027.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc.
*Firefly CEO Jason Kim and AST SpaceMobile Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan in front of Firefly’s Miranda engine at its Rocket Ranch in Briggs, Texas; Credit: Firefly Aerospace
AST SpaceMobile says it will build a reusable 20-ton rocket, Blacklift, to launch up to five BlueBird satellites at a time starting in late 2028, paying approximately $800 million upfront for a perpetual license to make Firefly Aerospace's Miranda and Vira engines. A separate agreement covers $250 million for engines for the first three rockets and $250 million over three years for engineering support.
DEFSEC Technologies Inc
DEFSEC Receives Favorable ATF Classification for Arwen Micro Non-Lethal Irritant Launcher, Clearing Path to U.S. Civilian Market
DEFSEC Technologies says the ATF determined its ARWEN Micro (Pro-1) non-lethal irritant launcher is not a "Destructive Device," leaving it classified as an "Any Other Weapon" (AOW). The company expects to begin selling the Pro-1 to U.S. civilian buyers as early as Q2 of calendar 2027 and is planning U.S. production.
Horizon Aircraft
Horizon Aircraft Signs MOU With Constance Lake First Nation to Bring Lifesaving Medical Aircraft to Remote and Isolated Indigenous Communities
Horizon Aircraft signed an MOU with Constance Lake First Nation to advance the potential purchase of Cavorite X7 hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft for medevac, patient transfer and critical delivery in Northern Ontario. The MOU is preliminary, and the release states no purchase commitment or service start date.
Flyte Aviation, Inc.
Flyte Aviation Launches Flyte Club to Disrupt Jet Cards and Fractional Ownership Programs with Transparent Per-Trip Pricing and Savings Up to 30%
Flyte Aviation launched Flyte Club, a prepaid program selling packages of 10, 20 or 30 one-way flights at fixed per-trip prices with discounts of 10%, 20% and 30% on eligible routes. The company says ordinary variations in flight time do not change the contracted route price, positioning the program against jet cards and fractional ownership.
Boeing
Avolon Finalizes Order for 140 Boeing 737-10 Jets
Avolon finalized a purchase of 140 Boeing 737-10 airplanes, which the companies describe as a record 737 MAX order by a lessor, lifting Avolon's 737 MAX backlog to more than 240 aircraft. The release says lessors have placed firm orders for more than 230 737-10s in 2026, five times the lessor backlog for the variant at the end of 2025.
This roundup is written with AI assistance from the press releases listed above, using only what they state. The releases are the companies' own announcements, not Endless Tech reporting.