Defense tech firm Anduril Industries has landed $2.5 billion in fresh capital, catapulting its valuation to $30.5 billion and marking a defining moment in its rapid rise within the national security sector.

What Happened: Executive Chairman Trae Stephens announced the funding milestone during an appearance on Bloomberg Television, revealing that Founders Fund, backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, led the round with a record $1 billion commitment, its largest investment to date. The firm's valuation has more than doubled since last year's $14 billion mark.

Anduril, headquartered in Southern California, designs next-generation defense technologies, from autonomous drones and battlefield software to advanced military wearables like AI-powered helmets and augmented reality goggles.

Its Columbus, Ohio, facility, Arsenal-1, is being outfitted to rapidly mass-produce such systems, including aerial and maritime drones.

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Why It Matters: The company's momentum comes amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and a growing reliance on unmanned systems in conflict zones. Following a high-profile drone strike by Ukraine on Russian forces, the accelerated role of technology in modern combat is increasingly clear.

Co-founder Palmer Luckey said, "The US must accelerate its drone development in order to remain competitive with China." Meanwhile, the company's military contracts continue to expand. Its work on new infantry goggles for the U.S. Army could reach over $20 billion in value over the next decade.

Anduril also announced a partnership with Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META) to co-develop AI-enabled combat headsets.

The company is positioning itself as a cornerstone of America's future defense strategy. "We did well under Trump and we did better under Biden," said Luckey. "I think we will do even better now."

Luckey has previously outlined his vision for America to become “the world gun store" and countered U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who condemned fully autonomous lethal weapons as "politically unacceptable" and "morally repugnant," urging the adoption of an international ban by 2026.

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

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