America woke up this week to a reminder that strength and innovation still win in a dangerous world: on November 11, 2025 XTEND Reality, an Israeli-founded defense-tech firm, was awarded a multi‑million dollar firm fixed‑price contract to deliver modular one‑way attack drone kits to U.S. forces. The announcement, made on Veterans Day by officials in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low‑Intensity Conflict, signals a blunt, unapologetic move to equip small tactical teams with proven tools that save American lives.
The systems, billed as ACQME‑DK affordable close‑quarter modular FPV one‑way attack drone kits, come complete with training, spare parts and high‑voltage electronic safe‑and‑arm devices to increase precision strike lethality in complex urban and rural environments. These are not fantasy toys or academic prototypes — they are purpose‑built, battle‑tested packages intended to give operators the edge in tight, dangerous engagements.
XTEND’s real‑world experience in Israel and Ukraine was a decisive advantage in the competition, company leaders say, and the tender required production on American soil using non‑Chinese components — a condition XTEND met by opening a facility in Tampa, Florida to produce systems for the U.S. and allies. That combination of battlefield credibility and American manufacturing should be applauded, not belittled, by those who love both liberty and a strong defense.
Let’s be blunt: conservatives who believe in American strength and the sanctity of sovereign defense must cheer this outcome. While the left debates moral purity from a safe desk in Washington or Brussels, real leaders are arming the folks who go into harm’s way and creating good, blue‑collar jobs in Florida — the kind of results that actually keep our families safe. No apologies for prioritizing effectiveness and American manufacturing in the face of real threats.
Predictably, some European academics and activists are raising alarm about “dual‑use” research and funding links to Israeli defense firms, arguing that civilian grants can be repurposed for military ends and demanding investigations or cutoffs. Those warnings are worth hearing, but they must be weighed against the fundamental duty of any free nation to defend its people; it’s easy to virtue‑signal from afar, and far harder to stare down tyrants on the battlefield.
At the same time, Newsmax’s own Israel coverage showed the human and historical side of why this alliance matters: correspondent Jodie Cohen visited Jerusalem’s City of David and highlighted a recent archaeological discovery that ties the Jewish people to their ancient homeland. Patriotism is not just about hardware; it’s about standing with a nation that shares our Judeo‑Christian heritage and the right to live under the rule of law and self‑defense.
If Americans want peace, they must first insure their security, and that means backing allies, investing in technology that reduces risk to our troops, and insisting our leaders put American jobs and American strength first. Congress and the administration should stop dithering and make clear that producing decisive, effective defense tools on U.S. soil is a national priority worth funding and defending. The choice is stark: weakness invites danger, but prudence and power protect our freedom and the lives of the brave who defend it.
