Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW), a Florida-based aerospace and defense technology company, has been awarded a contract to supply its Penguin Mk2.5 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system (UAS) to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Coast Guard (Redwire Corporation, 2026). The contract was placed through Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. (TCO), a subsidiary of SemiLux International Ltd. (NASDAQ: SELX) (Redwire Corporation, 2026) (Taiwan Color Optics, Inc., 2025). This procurement is intended to support complex maritime missions under Taiwan’s broader maritime security and defense resilience planning (Redwire Corporation, 2026).
The post was shared by The Defense Post on LinkedIn, with a quote attributed to Joshua Stinson, Co-President and Chief Growth Officer of Redwire Defense Tech.
Contract Details and System Capabilities
The initial tranche of the program carries an estimated contract value of approximately $7 million and represents a key milestone in Taiwan’s deployment of long-endurance uncrewed systems for maritime surveillance and law enforcement missions (Taiwan Color Optics, Inc., 2025). TCO, which ranked first among four qualified bidders, will be responsible for system integration, localized manufacturing activities, and ongoing technical support in Taiwan (Taiwan Color Optics, Inc., 2025).
The Penguin Mk2.5 VTOL UAS was selected for its long-endurance performance, vertical takeoff and landing capability, and integrated electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) payloads designed for persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions (Redwire Corporation, 2026). According to Joshua Stinson, Co-President and Chief Growth Officer of Redwire Defense Tech, the aircraft is “field proven for successful execution of all-weather monitoring and advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations” (Redwire Corporation, 2026). The platform’s VTOL capability allows for rapid deployment in harsh or contested environments, and it is equipped to conduct day and night ISR missions with the ability to track and target small moving objects (Redwire Corporation, 2026).
The overall system architecture is designed to comply with the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requirements and aligns with the U.S. Department of Defense Blue UAS framework (Taiwan Color Optics, Inc., 2025).
Taiwan’s Maritime Security Context
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, which is responsible for the critical 24-mile zone around the island, has been seeking to close maritime domain awareness (MDA) gaps by enhancing shore-based sensors, installing Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) on patrol boats, and exploring aerial surveillance solutions (Liao & Mei, 2026). The deployment of unmanned systems aims to complement shore-based and shipborne sensors, providing flexible airborne ISR capabilities (Liao & Mei, 2026).
Following the current pilot program, the Taiwan Coast Guard Administration and the Ministry of National Defense have publicly outlined follow-on UAV requirements. Based on publicly available planning references, the Coast Guard Administration is expected to pursue a medium-range UAV expansion program with an estimated value of approximately $25 million, while the Ministry of National Defense has outlined a large-scale fixed-wing VTOL UAV program planned for 2026–2027, encompassing approximately 710 UAV units with an estimated total program value of approximately $300 million (Taiwan Color Optics, Inc., 2025).
Redwire’s Defense Expansion
Redwire Corporation’s involvement in the defense UAS sector significantly expanded following its $925 million acquisition of Edge Autonomy in June 2025 (Redwire Corporation, 2025a). Edge Autonomy, the original manufacturer of the Penguin UAS line, provided field-proven uncrewed airborne system technology (Redwire Corporation, 2025a). The Penguin UAS has a history of mission support in contested environments and was included by name in United States Security Assistance Packages for Ukraine in July 2023 and December 2024 (Redwire Corporation, 2026b). Redwire has delivered more than 100 Stalker and Penguin UAS to seven countries, including the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and NATO allied nations, subsequent to the Edge Autonomy acquisition (Redwire Corporation, 2026c).
In early June 2026, Redwire Defense LLC was awarded a $15.8 million firm-fixed-price contract by the U.S. Department of War for the procurement of eight Stalker Block 35 systems (Juricic, 2026). Additionally, in May 2026, Redwire announced a multi-year contract valued in the “high eight-figures” to deliver its Penguin Mk3 tactical UAS to an undisclosed NATO country ally (Redwire Corporation, 2026b).
Financially, Redwire reported a 10.3% year-over-year increase in revenue to $335.4 million for the full year 2025, driven by growth across its space and defense tech offerings (Redwire Corporation, 2026c). The company is forecasting revenues of $450 million to $500 million for the full year 2026 (Redwire Corporation, 2026c).
References
Juricic, L. (2026, June 3). Redwire Defense wins $15.9M Army contract for drone systems. Investing.com. https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/redwire-defense-wins-159m-army-contract-for-drone-systems-93CH-4725400
Liao, K., & Mei, F. S. (2026, January 29). Taiwan’s Concerning MDA Gap facing China’s Gray Zone. Center for Maritime Strategy. Taiwan’s Concerning MDA Gap facing China’s Gray Zone - Center for Maritime Strategy
Redwire Corporation. (2025a, June 13). Redwire Completes Acquisition of Edge Autonomy, Establishing Company as a Global Defense Tech Disruptor Specializing in Multi-Domain Solutions. Redwire Completes Acquisition of Edge Autonomy, Establishing Company as a Global Defense Tech Disruptor Specializing in Multi-Domain Solutions :: Redwire Corporation (RDW)
Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. (2025, December 31). Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. (TCO) Secures Taiwan Coast Guard UAV Pilot Program. Taiwan Color Optics, Inc. (TCO) Secures Taiwan Coast Guard UAV Pilot Program - Semilux International Ltd All Rights Reserved.
Redwire Corporation. (2026, June 30). Redwire Awarded Contract to Deliver Penguin Mk2.5 Uncrewed Aerial System to Taiwan Coast Guard. Redwire Awarded Contract to Deliver Penguin Mk2.5 Uncrewed Aerial System to Taiwan Coast Guard | Redwire
Redwire Corporation. (2026b, May 19). Redwire Awarded a Multi-Year Contract to Deliver Next Generation Penguin Mk3 Tactical UAS to NATO Country. Redwire Awarded a Multi-Year Contract to Deliver Next Generation Penguin Mk3 Tactical UAS to NATO Country :: Redwire Corporation (RDW)
Redwire Corporation. (2026c, February 25). Redwire Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results, Achieves Top End of 2025 Revenue Guidance Range with Record Contracted Backlog. Redwire Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results, Achieves Top End of 2025 Revenue Guidance Range with Record Contracted Backlog :: Redwire Corporation (RDW)
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