Powerus Advances to Phase 3 of the U.S. Army's xTech Adaptive Strike Competition

Powerus today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tandem Defense, has been selected as one of up to 10 companies to advance to Phase 3 of xTech Adaptive Strike , a U.S. Army prize competition under the Army’s xTech program, designed to accelerate commercial technologies that strengthen small-unit effectiveness in contested environments, including extended-range reconnaissance, affordable strike and loitering munitions, small-unit power generation, and counter-UAS defeat.

The selection follows a Phase 2 field-evaluation period, during which the Powerus training team spent several weeks at the U.S. Army National Training Center supporting an Army unit’s force-on-force exercise. The team provided hands-on instruction on Powerus’ Matrix FPV platform, which the supported unit employed during the exercise. The unit using the Powerus platform was nominated for hero of the battle.

As a Phase 2 finalist, Powerus received a $50,000 award. Phase 3, which is the competition’s final soldier exercise, is scheduled for October 29, 2026 through November 28, 2026. There will be up to five winners selected for an additional $100,000 prize each and potential follow-on contract discussions. Winners will be announced on November 30, 2026.

The competition’s acquisition pathways enable government organizations to engage with finalists and winners, supporting rapid technology maturation, accelerating the transition of innovative capabilities to the field, and promoting collaboration with non-traditional and small business performers.

“Advancing to Phase 3 of the xTech Adaptive Strike Competition confirms that what we've built at Powerus proves itself in the hands of soldiers in action. Our team spent weeks in the field with an Army unit putting Matrix FPVs through a real force-on-force exercise, and this selection reflects that performance. We're focused on carrying this momentum into Phase 3 and delivering a platform that soldiers can depend on,” said Brett Velicovich, Co-Founder of Powerus.

About xTech Adaptive Strike xTech Adaptive Strike is a U.S. Army prize competition managed under the Army’s xTech program, distinct from the traditional SBIR/STTR contracting process. The competition opened for submissions in early 2026 and selected up to 10 finalists following a Phase 2 field evaluation. Phase 3 finalists compete in a live Soldier exercise, with up to five winners selected for follow-on prize awards. The competition targets capability gaps in extended on-station reconnaissance; affordable, scalable drone and loitering munitions; small-unit power generation; and counter-UAS defeat.

About Powerus Powerus (Autonomous Power Corporation) builds and scales unified autonomous systems designed to move, protect, and sustain critical assets in high-risk environments, with capabilities spanning autonomous air and maritime platforms, counter-UAS and interceptor systems, mission systems, training and support, and U.S.-based manufacturing.