A military drone company backed by Donald Trump's son Eric has opened a factory in Swindon after securing a near-£2m deal to support UK defence activities.
Xtend was founded in Tel Aviv, Israel, and is now headquartered in Florida. It specialises in software systems and artificial intelligence-powered robotics.
New Wiltshire Facility
Its new Wiltshire facility, known as XFAB, is modelled on the company's Tampa site, which supplies the US government's Department of War. It will serve as a gateway for supporting NATO and allied forces across Europe, the company said. It is understood XTEND is planning to invest up to £20m to expand its UK hub and operations.
“Modern warfare is shifting from manually operated systems to human-guided autonomy, where a single operator can control complex missions with precision and speed,” said Aviv Shapira, chief executive and co-founder of XTEND. “The UK is undergoing a significant transformation in how it fields combat capabilities, and this expansion allows us to support that shift with systems designed to operate in the most complex and contested environments while keeping operators out of harm’s way.”
Operational Trials
XTEND said its expansion builds on growing demand across multiple UK defence units and follows successful live operational trials with the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) at Salisbury Plain, the UK’s largest military training area. The trials included the first live-fire demonstration of an uncrewed aerial system by UK forces on British soil, Xtend said. The initial trials have already generated follow-on interest and engagement from other Armed Forces units.
The activity is part of a multi-phase engagement with 16 Air Assault Brigade, with upcoming phases expected to expand operational use cases and support joint training exercises.
Strategic Hub
“The UK is not just a market for us, it is a strategic hub for operational deployment, local capability, and NATO-aligned growth,” said Ofer Shahaf, managing director UK at XTEND. “As operational requirements evolve, UK forces need systems that can be deployed rapidly, operated with minimal training, and perform in the most complex environments.”
Will Stone, MP for Swindon, said the investment positioned the Wiltshire town “at the forefront” of advanced defence technologies and supported UK efforts to strengthen capabilities in autonomous and AI-powered systems. “I am delighted that XTEND UK has chosen to set up in Swindon and I look forward to working with them to expand our growing defence sector in the town,” he said.
Business Combination
In February, Nasdaq-listed JFB Construction Holdings entered into a definitive agreement to combine with XTEND in an all-stock transaction. The deal was supported by strategic investments from President Trump's son, Eric Trump, along with Unusual Machines, American Ventures, LLC, Protego Ventures, and Aliya Capital. Following the closing of the business combination, the joint company is expected to be renamed XTEND AI Robotics and be listed on a US national securities exchange under the XTND.
