Red Cat Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT) announced it will deliver 173 Black Widow drone systems to Japan's Ministry of Defense under a contract awarded through a competitive acquisition process.

The order was secured through Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency, with the Japanese Army serving as the end-user. The systems are being delivered under Japan Fiscal Year 2026 funding, according to a company statement.

Each system includes two Black Widow aircraft, one WEB ground control station, and other mission-critical components. Red Cat is working with Japanese partners HAMA K.K. and ITOCHU Aviation Co., Ltd., along with U.S. partner ITOCHU Aviation, Inc. to fulfill the contract.

HAMA personnel will conduct in-country training and light maintenance support after receiving direct training from Red Cat. A separate contract will cover spare parts and training for long-term operational readiness.

"As we move into delivery, our focus is on ensuring Japan's forces have immediate access to reliable, mission-ready ISR capabilities at the tactical edge," said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat's chief executive officer.

The company stated this represents the second Asia-Pacific military customer for its Black Widow systems, following a previous order from the Australian Army. Red Cat expects to establish licensed manufacturing agreements and expanded in-country maintenance capabilities over time.

The Black Widow is described as a small unmanned aircraft system designed for tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The system is manufactured in the United States and complies with National Defense Authorization Act requirements.

Red Cat, based in Salt Lake City, develops drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security applications through subsidiaries Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace.