Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is among the 10 Best Performing Defense Stocks So Far in 2026. The stock has surged 47% over the past month, with recent contract awards and business success driving investor confidence. This has taken the year-to-date share price return to 129% as of the close on May 22.
On May 20, the company said it had received a $15 million follow-on order for Stalker uncrewed aerial systems from the 1st Aviation Brigade of the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence, taking the total worth of orders placed over the last eight months to $24.8 million.
A day earlier, Redwire Corporation announced it had secured a multi-year contract from a NATO member for the Penguin Mk3 uncrewed aerial system. While the country’s name and exact financial details were not disclosed, the contract is said to be valued at ‘high eight-figures’, according to the press release.
The company saw a 57.9% increase in revenue for Q1 2026 to $97 million. It ended the quarter with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.92 and a record backlog of $498.1 million, providing a healthy pipeline of future revenue. Redwire is also seeing improved operational efficiency following the acquisition of Edge Autonomy, suggesting potential future profitability.
Redwire Corporation is a global space and defense technology company that leverages artificial intelligence and digital engineering to deliver advanced technologies related to autonomous systems, aerospace infrastructure, and multi-domain operations.
READ NEXT: 10 Stocks That Will Make You Rich Over the Next Decade and 9 Best Drone Stocks to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts.
