FPF Defense, led by former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, is developing AI-enabled kinetic interceptors engineered to close the cost-asymmetry gap against mass-produced one-way attack drones WEST

FPF Defense, led by former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, is developing AI-enabled kinetic interceptors engineered to close the cost-asymmetry gap against mass-produced one-way attack drones WEST PALM BEACH, FL / <a href='https://www.accessnewswire.com/'>ACCESS Newswire</a> / July 24, 2026 / <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fq">RSE Ventures</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fr">Ondas Inc.</a> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ONDS">ONDS</a>) today announced a co-led strategic investment into FPF Defense, a defense technology company developing SmartFlak: an integrated counter-UAS system anchored by the Hammerhead low-cost, autonomous interceptor, purpose-built to destroy Shahed-class one-way attack drones at scale.Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have left our military faced with new battlefield realities. A Shahed or Geran-class attack drone costs an adversary roughly $50,000 to build while the legacy missile interceptors fired to stop it can cost millions of dollars apiece. That asymmetry is the central problem of modern air defense: an enemy who can mass-produce cheap drones drains a defender's stockpiles and budget faster than any Western industrial base can refill them.Legacy air defenses were designed for exquisite threats and left a vulnerable gap in the medium-range where cheap, mass-launched drones are having an outsized impact on the battlefield. FPF's SmartFlak system is purpose-built to close it: autonomous launch, sophisticated onboard autonomy, and a kinetic interceptor engineered for U.S. mass production, with a cost per shot in the low tens of thousands of dollars. FPF Defense was built by operators who have lived this problem firsthand.FPF Defense is led by The Honorable Christopher C. Miller, who spent 27 years as a U.S. Army Green Beret - helping lead the first Special Forces teams into Afghanistan after 9/11 and later commanding a battalion from 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq - before serving as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Acting Secretary of Defense."The cheapest weapons on the battlefield are getting past the most sophisticated defenses we field. I spent 27 years in uniform and served as Acting Secretary of Defense with one job above all others: protect this country and the people who defend it. FPF is how I keep doing that job - making sure no American is ever lost to a threat we had the power to stop," said Christopher C. Miller, CEO of FPF Defense and former Acting Secretary of Defense.Miller's command-and-policy pedigree is matched by a deep technical and operational bench. Dr. Jeff Maas, a former DARPA program manager, serves as Chief Technology Officer, while Grant Fox, who brings experience from the U.S. Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), serves as Chief Operating Officer. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Christian Sessoms, the fourth founder of FPF Defense, is the Chief Revenue Officer. Sessoms was a career Army Special Forces officer, with extensive post-Army business development success in the defense and technology sectors. The company is advised by General (Ret.) Austin Scott Miller, former Commander of Joint Special Operations Command and the final Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, as well as Lieutenant General (Ret.) Robert "Whaler" Walsh, a career Marine aviator who helped lead the Marine Corps' force-transformation efforts as Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command, and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration. Across the organization, the broader team draws on experience from DARPA, DIU, the U.S. military, and the special operations community."Ondas is focused on solving the most critical challenges in autonomous and counter-drone warfare, and we uphold the highest standards for the teams we partner with," said Eric Brock, CEO of Ondas. "FPF cleared that bar immediately with a proven team, a disruptive cost advantage, and a mission-critical capability that the nation requires at scale."As part of the investment, FPF is relocating its headquarters to West Palm Beach, joining Ondas, which has already established its headquarters there as the first of several defense-technology companies expected to anchor the growing ecosystem in South Florida.FPF Defense becomes another investment in RSE's defense and industrialization portfolio alongside Performance Drone Works (PDW), the veteran-led combat robotics manufacturer co-founded by Matt Higgins, specializing in Group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Higgins has been deeply involved in national defense since serving as Chief Operating Officer of Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the organization tasked with rebuilding the World Trade Center site."I was on the ground on 9/11, so I've experienced firsthand what it means for our nation to be caught off guard. Once again, we find our skies vulnerable to attack, only now the threat is cheap weaponized drones. We cannot defend our homeland from our back foot, nor can we win if defending against a threat costs ten times more than launching it," said Matt Higgins, CEO & Co-founder, RSE Ventures. "FPF solves this cost asymmetry head-on. Their SmartFlak system and Hammerhead interceptor deliver the scalable, high-volume shield needed to dominate the critical 9-to-20 kilometer gap. We are proud to back FPF as they build that multi-layered defense-right here in West Palm."The deal was led by Nick Perkins, Senior Vice President of Defense & Industrialization at RSE Ventures.FPF Defense will deploy the investment to:<ul><li>Accelerate development and production of the Hammerhead interceptor and SmartFlak integrated launch system</li><li>Establish U.S.-based manufacturing with an NDAA-compliant domestic supply chain</li><li>Expand engineering headcount across autonomy, systems integration, and propulsion</li><li>Build out West Palm Beach headquarters and operational infrastructure</li></ul>About FPF DefenseFPF Defense develops low-cost, high-volume counter-drone interceptors for U.S. and allied defense. Its flagship SmartFlak system - anchored by the Hammerhead kinetic interceptor - is designed to address the cost asymmetry problem in CUAS defense, targeting the 9-to-20-kilometer engagement gap. Headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL.About RSE VenturesHeadquartered in West Palm Beach, FL, RSE Ventures is a private investment and innovation firm founded by Stephen Ross and Matt Higgins. RSE builds and invests in category-defining companies across industrialization and defense, sports, media, and consumer. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fs">www.rseventures.com</a>About Ondas Inc.Ondas Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ONDS">ONDS</a>) is a leading global provider of autonomous aerial and ground defense and security and intelligence platforms serving defense, homeland security, public safety and critical infrastructure markets. Headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3ft">www.ondas.com</a>ContactsIR Contact for Ondas Inc. 888-657-2377 <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:ir@ondas.com">ir@ondas.com</a>Media Contact for Ondas Inc. Escalate PR <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:ondas@escalatepr.com">ondas@escalatepr.com</a>Preston Grimes Marketing Manager, Ondas Inc. <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:preston.grimes@ondas.com">preston.grimes@ondas.com</a>SOURCE: Ondas Inc. View the original <a href='https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/rse-ventures-and-ondas-co-lead-strategic-investment-in-fpf-defens-1195627'>press release</a> on ACCESS Newswire 
 <img src="https://app.accessnewswire.com/img.ashx?id=1195627" width="0" height="0"/>

ONDS

RSE Ventures and Ondas Co-Lead Strategic Investment in FPF Defense to Build the Next Generation of Counter-UAS Interceptors, Anchoring West Palm Beach as America's Emerging Defense-Tech Hub

Ondas Co-Leads FPF Defense Investment to Expand Counter-UAS Portfolio

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
 <section data-block="information">
 <h3>Information</h3>
 FPF Defense, led by former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, is developing AI-enabled kinetic interceptors engineered to close the cost-asymmetry gap against mass-produced one-way attack drones WEST
 </section>

 <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
 <h3>AI Summary</h3>
 RSE Ventures and Ondas co-led a strategic investment in FPF Defense, advancing SmartFlak and the Hammerhead interceptor to address the 9-20 kilometer drone-engagement gap. The deal includes FPF relocating HQ to West Palm Beach, reinforcing Ondas&#039; regional defense ecosystem and potentially unlocking collaborative opportunities within Ondas&#039; autonomous defense portfolio.
 </section>

 <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
 <h3>Key Points</h3>
 <ul><li>RSE Ventures and Ondas co-lead strategic investment in FPF Defense.</li><li>FPF aims to close cost asymmetry with SmartFlak and Hammerhead interceptors.</li><li>Drone costs ~$50k; shot cost targeted in the low tens of thousands.</li><li>FPF relocates HQ to West Palm Beach, aligning with Ondas&#039; defense footprint.</li></ul>
 </section>

 <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
 <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
 <ul><li>Ondas Inc. (ONDS): Co-led strategic investment; expands defense portfolio; strengthens South Florida ecosystem.</li><li>FPF Defense (NA): Private defense-technology firm; developing SmartFlak and Hammerhead interceptors; potential U.S.-based manufacturing expansion.</li><li>RSE Ventures (NA): Co-lead investor; defense/industrialization portfolio; backing FPF.</li><li>Performance Drone Works (PDW): Part of RSE&#039;s portfolio; veteran-led UAS manufacturer; potential collaboration opportunities.</li></ul>
 </section>

 <section data-block="category">
 <h3>Corporate Developments</h3>
 Category: Corporate Developments. The announcement highlights strategic investment activity and ecosystem-building in defense tech, aligning with Ondas&#039; growth strategy in autonomous defense and signaling potential near-term partnerships or contract opportunities.
 </section>

 <section data-block="market-moving">
 <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
 <ul><li>Ondas co-leads investment, signaling expanded defense portfolio and revenue visibility.</li><li>West Palm Beach HQ relocation strengthens regional defense partnerships and ecosystem ties.</li><li>Positive investor attention on autonomous defense could boost ONDS trading activity.</li></ul>
 </section>

 <section data-block="key-facts">
 <h3>Key Facts</h3>
 <ul><li>Date: July 24, 2026.</li><li>Investment: co-led by RSE Ventures and Ondas into FPF Defense.</li><li>FPF&#039;s SmartFlak with Hammerhead targets Shahed-class drones; cost per shot in the low tens of thousands.</li><li>Drones cost roughly $50,000 to produce.</li><li>FPF Defense HQ relocation to West Palm Beach; Ondas already headquartered there.</li></ul>
 </section>

 <section data-block="trading-thesis">
 <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
 Bullish over 6–12 months as defense ecosystem expansion may lift ONDS valuation.
 </section>
</section>


FPF Defense, led by former Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher C. Miller, is developing AI-enabled kinetic interceptors engineered to close the cost-asymmetry gap against mass-produced one-way attack drones WEST PALM BEACH, FL / <a href='https://www.accessnewswire.com/'>ACCESS Newswire</a> / July 24, 2026 / <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fq">RSE Ventures</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fr">Ondas Inc.</a> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ONDS">ONDS</a>) today announced a co-led strategic investment into FPF Defense, a defense technology company developing SmartFlak: an integrated counter-UAS system anchored by the Hammerhead low-cost, autonomous interceptor, purpose-built to destroy Shahed-class one-way attack drones at scale.Recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have left our military faced with new battlefield realities. A Shahed or Geran-class attack drone costs an adversary roughly $50,000 to build while the legacy missile interceptors fired to stop it can cost millions of dollars apiece. That asymmetry is the central problem of modern air defense: an enemy who can mass-produce cheap drones drains a defender's stockpiles and budget faster than any Western industrial base can refill them.Legacy air defenses were designed for exquisite threats and left a vulnerable gap in the medium-range where cheap, mass-launched drones are having an outsized impact on the battlefield. FPF's SmartFlak system is purpose-built to close it: autonomous launch, sophisticated onboard autonomy, and a kinetic interceptor engineered for U.S. mass production, with a cost per shot in the low tens of thousands of dollars. FPF Defense was built by operators who have lived this problem firsthand.FPF Defense is led by The Honorable Christopher C. Miller, who spent 27 years as a U.S. Army Green Beret - helping lead the first Special Forces teams into Afghanistan after 9/11 and later commanding a battalion from 5th Special Forces Group in Iraq - before serving as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and Acting Secretary of Defense."The cheapest weapons on the battlefield are getting past the most sophisticated defenses we field. I spent 27 years in uniform and served as Acting Secretary of Defense with one job above all others: protect this country and the people who defend it. FPF is how I keep doing that job - making sure no American is ever lost to a threat we had the power to stop," said Christopher C. Miller, CEO of FPF Defense and former Acting Secretary of Defense.Miller's command-and-policy pedigree is matched by a deep technical and operational bench. Dr. Jeff Maas, a former DARPA program manager, serves as Chief Technology Officer, while Grant Fox, who brings experience from the U.S. Navy and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), serves as Chief Operating Officer. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Christian Sessoms, the fourth founder of FPF Defense, is the Chief Revenue Officer. Sessoms was a career Army Special Forces officer, with extensive post-Army business development success in the defense and technology sectors. The company is advised by General (Ret.) Austin Scott Miller, former Commander of Joint Special Operations Command and the final Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, as well as Lieutenant General (Ret.) Robert "Whaler" Walsh, a career Marine aviator who helped lead the Marine Corps' force-transformation efforts as Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command, and Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration. Across the organization, the broader team draws on experience from DARPA, DIU, the U.S. military, and the special operations community."Ondas is focused on solving the most critical challenges in autonomous and counter-drone warfare, and we uphold the highest standards for the teams we partner with," said Eric Brock, CEO of Ondas. "FPF cleared that bar immediately with a proven team, a disruptive cost advantage, and a mission-critical capability that the nation requires at scale."As part of the investment, FPF is relocating its headquarters to West Palm Beach, joining Ondas, which has already established its headquarters there as the first of several defense-technology companies expected to anchor the growing ecosystem in South Florida.FPF Defense becomes another investment in RSE's defense and industrialization portfolio alongside Performance Drone Works (PDW), the veteran-led combat robotics manufacturer co-founded by Matt Higgins, specializing in Group 1-3 unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Higgins has been deeply involved in national defense since serving as Chief Operating Officer of Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the organization tasked with rebuilding the World Trade Center site."I was on the ground on 9/11, so I've experienced firsthand what it means for our nation to be caught off guard. Once again, we find our skies vulnerable to attack, only now the threat is cheap weaponized drones. We cannot defend our homeland from our back foot, nor can we win if defending against a threat costs ten times more than launching it," said Matt Higgins, CEO & Co-founder, RSE Ventures. "FPF solves this cost asymmetry head-on. Their SmartFlak system and Hammerhead interceptor deliver the scalable, high-volume shield needed to dominate the critical 9-to-20 kilometer gap. We are proud to back FPF as they build that multi-layered defense-right here in West Palm."The deal was led by Nick Perkins, Senior Vice President of Defense & Industrialization at RSE Ventures.FPF Defense will deploy the investment to:<ul><li>Accelerate development and production of the Hammerhead interceptor and SmartFlak integrated launch system</li><li>Establish U.S.-based manufacturing with an NDAA-compliant domestic supply chain</li><li>Expand engineering headcount across autonomy, systems integration, and propulsion</li><li>Build out West Palm Beach headquarters and operational infrastructure</li></ul>About FPF DefenseFPF Defense develops low-cost, high-volume counter-drone interceptors for U.S. and allied defense. Its flagship SmartFlak system - anchored by the Hammerhead kinetic interceptor - is designed to address the cost asymmetry problem in CUAS defense, targeting the 9-to-20-kilometer engagement gap. Headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL.About RSE VenturesHeadquartered in West Palm Beach, FL, RSE Ventures is a private investment and innovation firm founded by Stephen Ross and Matt Higgins. RSE builds and invests in category-defining companies across industrialization and defense, sports, media, and consumer. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3fs">www.rseventures.com</a>About Ondas Inc.Ondas Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ONDS">ONDS</a>) is a leading global provider of autonomous aerial and ground defense and security and intelligence platforms serving defense, homeland security, public safety and critical infrastructure markets. Headquartered in West Palm Beach, FL. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://pr.report/o3ft">www.ondas.com</a>ContactsIR Contact for Ondas Inc. 888-657-2377 <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:ir@ondas.com">ir@ondas.com</a>Media Contact for Ondas Inc. Escalate PR <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:ondas@escalatepr.com">ondas@escalatepr.com</a>Preston Grimes Marketing Manager, Ondas Inc. <a rel="nofollow" href="mailto:preston.grimes@ondas.com">preston.grimes@ondas.com</a>SOURCE: Ondas Inc. View the original <a href='https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/computers-technology-and-internet/rse-ventures-and-ondas-co-lead-strategic-investment-in-fpf-defens-1195627'>press release</a> on ACCESS Newswire 
 <img src="https://app.accessnewswire.com/img.ashx?id=1195627" width="0" height="0"/>

RSE Ventures and Ondas co-led a strategic investment in FPF Defense, advancing SmartFlak and the Hammerhead interceptor to address the 9-20 kilometer drone-engagement gap. The deal includes FPF relocating HQ to West Palm Beach, reinforcing Ondas' regional defense ecosystem and potentially unlocking collaborative opportunities within Ondas' autonomous defense portfolio.

rse-ventures-and-ondas-co-lead-strategic-investment-in-fpf-defense-to-build-the-next-generation-of-counter-uas-interceptors-anchoring-west-palm-beach-as-america-s-emerging-defense-tech-hub

News insight

RSE Ventures and Ondas Co-Lead Strategic Investment in FPF Defense to Build the Next Generation of Counter-UAS Interceptors, Anchoring West Palm Beach as America's Emerging Defense-Tech Hub

AI summary

Sentiment rationale

Key facts

Corporate Developments