Exclusive: Nukkleus CEO Reveals 'Drone And Anti-Drone' M&A Focus Following Israeli Defense Tech Acquisition

Nukkleus Inc. (NASDAQ:NUKK) is expanding its defense portfolio with a targeted focus on unmanned systems.

Following the recent $14 million acquisition of Israeli defense firm Tiltan Software Engineering, CEO Menny Shalom confirmed exclusively to Benzinga that the company is actively seeking additional acquisitions in the “drone and anti-drone sectors.”

Check out NUKK’s stock price here.

The Strategic Pivot

While the acquisition of Tiltan was publicly announced as a move into simulation and AI, Shalom spoke about the company’s broader roadmap in an emailed response to Benzinga. Nukkleus intends to leverage Tiltan's software capabilities as a foundational layer for a new vertical dedicated to unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

“Nukkleus is looking to acquire additional assets and companies in the drone and anti-drone sectors, and we believe Tiltan would be a strategic asset to these sectors,” Shalom told Benzinga.

This signals a potential shift for the defense aggregator, moving from general supply chain consolidation toward building a specialized capability in one of the fastest-growing segments of modern warfare.

See Also: What’s Going On With Nukkleus Stock Today?

Addressing ‘GPS-Denied' Environments

The strategic logic behind the deal appears to rest on “navigation resilience”—the ability for drones to operate when GPS signals are jammed by electronic warfare, a common scenario in current conflicts like Ukraine and the Middle East.

Tiltan CEO Ehud Shafir highlighted that “increased drone deployment has highlighted navigation resilience as a growing operational concern,” noting that the company is working to address these specific gaps.

Tiltan's technologies are already embedded with major Israeli defense contractors, including Elbit Systems and Rafael.

A Federated Defense Model

Shalom also clarified Nukkleus's operational strategy, distinguishing it from traditional vertical integration. Rather than forcing a “top-down” transformation of legacy manufacturers into software companies, Nukkleus is pursuing a federated model where portfolio companies retain autonomy while sharing technology.

“Our long-term strategy isn't to own the whole supply chain,” Shalom explained. “We actively encourage collaboration… leading to organic ideas for how to combine technologies, capabilities, and expertise.”

By combining Tiltan's navigation software with prospective hardware acquisitions, Nukkleus aims to create “battle-tested” solutions for the U.S. and European markets, which are currently scrambling to modernize their inventories against electronic warfare threats.

NUKK Shares Drop More Than 60% In 6 Months

Shares of Nukkleus declined by 62.21% over the last six months and 86.04% over the last year. On Monday, the stock fell 6.87% to $3.93 apiece and rose 2.50% after-hours.

Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings shows that NUKK maintains a weaker price trend over the short, medium, and long term. Additional information is available here.

Read Next:

• Nukkleus Lands $250 Million Funding Pact To Fuel Defense Tech Push

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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