Ondas vs. Kratos: Which Drone Defense Stock Is the Better Investment?
ONDS and KTOS take different routes into drone defense, with growth, valuation and execution shaping a closer contest than it may seem.
ONDS and KTOS take different routes into drone defense, with growth, valuation and execution shaping a closer contest than it may seem.
Both Kratos Defense and L3Harris operate in the U.S. aerospace and defense sector and are positioned to benefit from rising global defense spending.
SAN DIEGO, July 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in the defense, national security and global markets, today announced it has been awarded a sole-source, single award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for approximately $156 million, by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Secure Transportation (OST), in support of Project Solar Shield. Under this new contract award, Kratos will provide mobile Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) platforms designed to support OST's critical National Security mission.
Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) by 12.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,515,997 shares of the aerospace company's stock after buying an
Amova Asset Management Americas Inc. decreased its position in Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) by 10.7% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 1,144,337 shares of the aerospace company's stock after selling 137,350 shares
Elroy Air Recently Announced a Demand Pipeline Exceeding 1,400 Aircraft Kratos to Increase Current Sacramento Workforce of 450+ High-Tech Employees as Production of Elroy Air's Autonomous Cargo Aircraft Accelerates SAN DIEGO, July 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, today announced that it will manufacture Elroy Air's Chaparral autonomous cargo aircraft in its expanding Sacramento, California production facility, supporting increasing demand across commercial logistics and defense markets while expecting to further grow its regional workforce of 450 high-tech employees by more than 50 as Chaparral production ramps. The Chaparral is a hybrid-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) autonomous cargo aircraft designed to transport more than 500 pounds of payload with a maximum range of up to 450 miles without requiring traditional airport infrastructure.
Drone warfare has moved from niche capability to central pillar of U.S. defense strategy, and July's setup for military drone stocks looks unusually attractive.
Kratos' Pennsylvania Operations Engineer, Manufacture and Test Mission-Critical, Military-Grade Hardware Supporting Certain of the Nation's Highest-Priority Hypersonic, Air Defense, Missile, Radar and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Programs Kratos' Expanded Pennsylvania Operations Accelerate Development and Large-Scale Mass Production of Mil-Spec Hardware to Strengthen National Security SAN DIEGO, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company specializing in defense, national security and global markets, today announced the opening of a 167,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility in York, Pennsylvania. The plant expands Kratos' existing Pennsylvania operations, which now span three facilities and employ more than 440 people, supporting a growing portfolio of critical national security programs.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions earns a cautious Buy on strong backlog, book-to-bill, and funded multi-year growth visibility. KTOS's premium valuation is justified by standout organic growth, margin-accretive mix evolution, and a robust pipeline, despite lumpy revenue timing. Dilution from equity raises is a real drag, but EV and EBITDA growth, not per-share metrics, should be the investor's focus.
Kratos Defense expands US manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities to pursue larger defense contracts as military modernization drives demand.
SAN DIEGO, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company specializing in defense, national security, and global markets, today announced that it has recently received approximately $400 million in funding from the Department of War (DoW) related to certain hypersonic system and other National Security related programs. Kratos is an industry leader in the engineering, development, production and integration of hypersonic systems, flight vehicles, solid rocket motors and other high-speed systems and vehicles.
Jerry McGinn, who runs the Center for the Industrial Base at CSIS, went on CNBC with a number that will define the defense trade for the rest of the year.
SAN DIEGO, July 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, today announced that the company has recently received an approximate $100 million sole source prime contract award for the production of a ground-based modular space domain awareness system. Kratos is an industry leader in space domain awareness, directed energy and other relevant national security systems.
The Zacks Earnings ESP is a great way to find potential earnings surprises. Why investors should take advantage now.
Kratos specializes in drones, satellite technology, and counter-drone systems. The company has landed multiple defense contracts this year.
Drone stocks such as AeroVironment NASDAQ: AVAV, Red Cat Holdings NASDAQ: RCAT, and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions NASDAQ: KTOS are down significantly in 2026, driven by macroeconomic and sector-specific headwinds and company-specific hurdles that mask the mounting potential. While near-term events have weighed on their stock prices, backlogs continue to swell.
Buried inside President Trump's Fiscal Year 2027 defense budget request sits a line item that dwarfs almost every other increase in the document.
Kratos (KTOS) has an impressive earnings surprise history and currently possesses the right combination of the two key ingredients for a likely beat in its next quarterly report.
Investors looking for ways to find stocks that are set to beat quarterly earnings estimates should check out the Zacks Earnings ESP.
Kratos Defense expands unmanned systems and missile production with new contracts and capacity investments while building for rising defense demand.