Thank you, Chris, good afternoon, everybody, I would like to thank you for joining us on this call. For those of joining us for the first time, the next few slides will enable me to introduce and provide a concise overview of Mobilicom. If you would like a longer version, they are available on our investor website, obviously. We will present briefly who we are, what we do, and how the company has strategically evolved to address a rapidly growing market in the cybersecurity opportunities around autonomous platform and unmanned systems. Let me introduce Mobilicom at a glance. Mobilicom offer essential IP-based high-value cybersecurity software and hardware solutions. Those are subsystems within the drones robotics, bought and used by drones robotics manufacturers to build their platforms. Those proprietary solution are the one that power, connect, secure, and safeguard drones robotics.
We can say that those are the heart and soul of the drones and robots. Mobilicom is actually at the convergence of three major trends. One is the drones, second is cybersecurity, and third is robotics autonomy, which position the company extremely well in the current evolution that we see in the defense, as well as in the commercial market. If you would like to describe a little bit more about Mobilicom's offering and our visionary approach, we can see that Mobilicom has two core divisions. One is hardware solution. Those are hardened, resilient communication and data link system designed to operate in contested environment. The second is cybersecurity and software solutions. Those focus on electronic warfare resistance, cybersecurity protection for the drone platforms and robotics.
We can also see that Mobilicom hardware, which is hardened hardware, holds significant key U.S. defense and regulatory validation, including the Blue sUAS Framework. We have the Trusted Cyber Certification, the NDAA validation, the DD Form 1494 equipment frequency allocation approval. During this quarter, Mobilicom was also included in the FCC new Trusted Drone list. Collectively, all of those certifications and approvals strengthened Mobilicom position with the U.S. Department of Defense market for drones and autonomous systems, and being part of the supply chain, for America, and may help streamline the qualification and procurement process for OEMs and defense programs seeking trusted, compliant drone technology for American solutions. Our business model is very clear for those two, let's say, departments or offering.
On the hardware, we established the customer relationship through the hardware solution that you see on the left side, the families of the data link, the mesh networking, the ground control stations, which enable them the basic operational capabilities of drones robotics. Those are generating about 50%-60% gross margin for our business, which is very steep and high, and it's based on the IP and knowledge and knowhow that we have embedded inside those products. We have the expansion into higher value cybersecurity and software solution that can generate higher gross margin, which is close to 90% with limited direct competition as we see today. That gives Mobilicom evolution into a very lucrative licensing per unit business model.
Since we already a hardware supplier for the drone manufacturers and the platforms, we can incorporate the cybersecurity and software solutions more efficiently without restarting a lengthy process with the platform and qualification or procurement with the same vendors we supplied them the hardware, which makes our cross-sell opportunity easier and market expansion faster in getting into scalability in our business. I would like to, with this slide, remind everybody what we previously discussed on our 2025 annual earning update, what we expect in 2026 going to be a year of growth for the U.S. drone ecosystem. We believe we are extremely well-positioned as one of the supply chain leaders for components for small-sized drones and larger ammunition providers. In this slide is our forward-looking framework for 2026. The following slide will show how we progressed on the plan that we set for this year.
Let me walk through the progress we have made against the 2026 outlook in Q1. On the hardware side, which is describing the Tier 1 customer pipeline. This is in addition to second and 3-Tier customers. We advise that on design win and R&D stages, our 2026 goal was three to four Tier 1 partners at this stage. As for now, we have met the goal for the year with the four players, including the two leading U.S.T ier 1 ISR drone platform for a cybersecurity SkyHopper and ICE electronic warfare software in the period, which we announced recently. In the initial production, the goal for the year was to be in three to four Tier 1 players and customers in this phase. As for now, we have three, all originating from the 2025 continuing with us.
These continue to generate initial follow-on orders still within the low rate initial production scale to support ongoing commercialization activity demos, and initial deployment with both existing and prospective customers. On the ramp-up stage, which is the goal was two for the year. We are with one currently. Our existing ramp-up customer is accelerating into mass production under the OPF-L program of record, deploying for the U.S. Department of Defense. The total Tier 1 customer we have right now, eight so far, against the goal of eight to 10, with the year still in front of us. We believe that we will continue to grow on that. On the software and cybersecurity side, the AI autonomy and OEM ecosystem, the 2026 goal is for four to six OEM partners across NVIDIA and Qualcomm, plus two AI autonomy software partners. The status is ongoing progress.
We are continuing our engagement with the NVIDIA ecosystem and the partners that we have there for the hardware and the software that we published in 2025. We are constantly working with Qualcomm and Qualcomm-based solution on the AI edge platforms and working with multiple engagements to fulfill the goal for the year. Let's discuss some of the operational progress and financial progress. On the operational side, production capacity, the status is ongoing progress as we planned. Our strategic long lead time inventory is building up continuously, and component pre-buying has been expanded above the initial plan, as we see stronger than expected demand signals from our Tier 1 customers. The U.S. manufacturing, our status is ongoing progress as contract manufacturers are in selection process in United States with an on-site visit and final terms underway.
I will come back to this in more details later in the call in dedicated slide. From the program of record expansion, the status is confirmed as this is the headline of the quarter. We received a $2.2 million purchase order in Q1 under the initial OPF-L plan, OPF-L program of record. There is an additional, which is part of the ramp-up that we are experiencing. Separately, our Tier 1 customer in the U.S. has progressed under the additional program of record, which is the U.S. Army LASSO program, which we'll cover both in the next slides. I would like to dedicate this slide on an update on the meaningful progress that was done and ongoing progressing with the programs of record. Let's spend a moment on the program of record picture, because this is where the fundamental story of our U.S. defense business sits.
First, during Q1, our Tier 1 customer has progressed under the U.S. Army LASSO program, which is Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance. This is a program of record of the Army. The progress was this is an initial deployment phase to equip infantry brigade combat teams with man-portable precision strike capability. What does it mean for Mobilicom? Our cybersecurity, data link, and electronic warfare software solutions are embedded with each this customer platform. The LASSO progress, therefore, broadens the U.S. Defense footprint of platforms in which Mobilicom technology is embedded and could be deployed in masses, and adds a new U.S. service branch, the U.S. Army, to customer base previously anchored by the Marine Corps. While we are thrilled by this inclusion, however, LASSO is currently in initial deployment phase, and we have no Mobilicom orders associated with this program to date.
We anticipate that that will change, but this is part of the progress that we see over those program. What the LASSO of progress does tell us and the investors is that something powerful and structural, the program of record winners tend to win additional programs of record. That is what we said in the past and that we are witnessing that is happening today. That is the compounding dynamic of U.S. defense procurement and is now visibly playing out for the platform for which we are embedded in. Now onto the fundamental program, the U.S. Marine Corps OPF-L. Already, we have close to thousands of systems already fielded in the recent years for testing evaluations and use. The production for mass deployment start has commenced in January, and the production is ramping up.
All of Mobilicom recent U.S. Tier 1 orders are related to this program, including the $2.2 million additional order we received in Q1. This program has a continued multi-year delivery cadence ahead of it. Usually, programs of record are at least for five years. Most are extended for 10 years, there is additional procurement for spare parts, maintenance, training, and so on. You understand the volume and the value of such program for a company like Mobilicom. I would like to take a step back from the individual programs in these slides and provide you with the full picture of our position in the U.S. defense drones ecosystem, which that's essential if you compare Mobilicom to competition, newcomers, and other players in this market. Currently, we have five very important regulatory or compliance certification, starting with the Blue sUAS Framework select.
Select means that they selected us and did the entire process by the Defense Innovation Unit for the Department of Defense. The NDAA certification, which was validated by DoD testers and evaluators. It's not self-declaration. It was a thorough process for software and hardware. We have the trusted cyber testing that we have done under the standardization. The DD Form 1494, excuse me for the numerical description, this is electromagnetic registration within the Department of Defense map, which is essential if you would like to catalog and include system for mass deployment within the U.S. forces. The new FCC Trusted Drone designation, which defines Mobilicom as a critical provider for the U.S. drones, that's really important. I would like to say that products not on this list cannot participate in future U.S. federal program. That's why it's a structural moat.
Obviously, the programs of record deployment and the success today with those programs shows how our position regulatory-wise and being embedded across the Department of Defense certification and regulation is translated into business, and we intend to continue with that and expand that. The operational channels footprint with the U.S. Our U.S. production capacity is being extended. The dual U.S.-Israel operation supporting us in our development, combat-proven evaluation, and then bringing solution to market. Established U.S. Department of Defense DLA partnership and sales channels are critical factor visited us on the different recent shows, seen us with those partners, which are critical partners getting into the U.S. procurement for the Department of Defense, which together give us flexibility to deliver into both allied government and commercial drones market later on.
Let's take a moment to discuss the recent announcement from, I think, a week ago, from one of the shows where we announced the two new design wins, with Tier 1 platform makers. This slide discussed one of the most important commercial developments since the annual call that we had, well, held a few months ago. We announced new design wins with two leading U.S. Tier 1 defense drone manufacturer platforms for ISR, which means intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drone platforms. The first design win is with a well-known American drone manufacturer for a Group 1, which is handheld size ISR intelligence surveillance drone platform, supporting military application that already own and have deployment with United States, and scaling dramatically.
Mobilicom SkyHopper data link and the iService security software suite are being integrated to extend operational range, improve resiliency in contested environment, and provide advanced electronic warfare resistance and secure communication capabilities beyond the platform current configuration. Integration activity has been progressing over the past several months, and we currently anticipate to complete the integration process during the next quarter that will allow the customer to progress and catalog and use our solution and start selling them to, obviously, Department of War and other customers worldwide. The second Tier 1 design win, it's a major U.S. defense and commercial aerospace conglomerate. This is for a Group 2, slightly bigger, backpack-sized ISR drone, intelligence surveillance and drone platform designed for long-range mission, longer payload capacity. Mobilicom developed a tailored SkyHopper configuration specifically for this platform with the customer, including customized interfaces, mission-specific integration requirements, and so forth.
The combined SkyHopper and the ICE electronic warfare resistance solution is expected to enhance operational range, strength, resilience, and electronic warfare resistance capability and support more advanced operational scenarios for the customer's platform beyond what they have today. The integration and testing activity for the second design win are progressing very well. We anticipate to complete the validation process over the coming months or two, enabling the customer to begin offering the enhanced platform to the end users. Importantly, those two design wins represent two more seats at the U.S. Tier 1 table for Mobilicom, with both OEMs selecting Mobilicom's cyber secure SkyHopper data link and ICE electronic warfare software protection solutions. This reinforced the exact trajectory we said we were on, expanding presence across the trusted U.S. defense drone platform as ISR and autonomous or loitering munition solution and increasing military-grade cybersecurity communication.
I think it's, again, a good opportunity to discuss the cybersecurity regulatory momentum and what it means for Mobilicom. On the cybersecurity side, we are seeing an urgent need to meet cybersecurity regulations. I would like to mention that Mobilicom's strategy was not developed in response to current market trends. Mobilicom began investing in drones and autonomous system cybersecurity years ago based on the belief that cybersecurity would eventually become a core requirement for scalable autonomous operation. The challenge was developing cybersecurity solutions specifically designed for small-sized drones or robotics platform, where the size, the power consumption, the memory, the computing resources are highly constrained. Mobilicom developed a lightweight, embedded cybersecurity solution optimized for this tactical edge environment, while also working alongside with U.S. defense standardization initiatives. Today, we are seeing the market evolve in the direction we anticipated.
The U.S. Defense cybersecurity frameworks that were published, including the CMMC standard, the Cyber Survivability Endorsement Standard, the CSRMC initiative, the new one that was released in November last year, and the broader agenda by the Department of Defense called the Zero Trust Strategy, are increasing cybersecurity requirements across the drone and autonomous platform programs. The industry is moving beyond the basic one-time static cyber test that they had in the past towards an active, always-on online cybersecurity protection embedded directly on the autonomy AI edge computing of those platforms. This aligns closely with Mobilicom OS3 cybersecurity software and the Secured Autonomy Framework Mobilicom released, which were specifically designed for this new generation of requirements.
As cybersecurity is becoming increasingly integrated into program of record and future large-scale drone deployments, we believe Mobilicom is well-positioned as an early provider of purposely built cybersecurity solution for autonomous systems and specifically for small-sized loitering drones and autonomous system. Over time, this also creates a highly attractive recurring software licensing per unit opportunity for Mobilicom tied to deployed drone and robotics platforms. Now I would like to hand the call to Liad to walk through the Q1 2026 financial highlights, as well as our equity and cash position.
Thank you, Oren. Three months ended March 31st, 2026. The single number that frames the quarter is the $2.4 million in revenue visibility. Revenue visibility is what we covers recognized revenues plus confirmed backlog at quarter end. It was up 50% year-over-year. That is the metric that best captures what actually happened in Q1. Let me unpack the numbers behind it. Revenue. We reported Q1 revenue of $548,000 against the $844,000 in Q1 2025. This difference is entirely driven by delivery timing rather than just market demand. Specifically, certain Q1 shipments were deferred into later quarters, okay, due to temporary procurement schedules as the customer transitioned to scale program of record production. The underlying demand remains intact. The revenue has simply shifted out in time.
Order backlog was $1.8 million at March 31st, against $737,000 at the same point a year ago, up approximately 151% above the same point last year. Backlog more than doubled while reported revenue temporarily dipped. Post-quarter momentum since March 31st, the order book has continued to grow with additional orders from our U.S. Tier One customer under the OPF program, plus follow-on orders from other global customers, all of them to be delivered within 2026. As Oren just covered, two additional U.S. Tier One design wins. Cash position, $70.7 million as of March 31st. As we mentioned previously, zero debt, zero credit facility, zero convertible, clean balance sheet. During the quarter, we also terminated our at-the-market facility, a deliberate decision made from a position of strength because we did not need it. That decision reflects the discipline we want to demonstrate to investors.
We will only raise capital when it creates more value than it dilutes. Operating cash burn, approximately $528,000 per month in Q1. The increase is funding operation readiness and growth initiatives. The investment is targeted in three areas, each tied directly to revenue we expect to recognize within the next 12- 18 months. First one is solution integration work for the new U.S. Tier 1 manufacturers we are designing into, like these two new design wins we published recently. Second one, proactive long-lead item inventory buildup for production scale deliveries, including for those under the OPF program of record and other orders to come. The third and the last one, our U.S. manufacturing strategy and UST expansion. $17.7 million in cash, combined with disciplined execution, provides runway toward positive cash flow as the order momentum continue to build through 2026. About our equity and cash position.
These slides consolidate our equity structure and cash position as of March 31st, 2026. Capital structure, ordinary shares outstanding were 12.6 million as of March 31st, 2026. Warrants outstanding are 2.6 million. The majority is struck at $5, which representing another additional 12.9 million of additional capital if exercised. Fully diluted share was 15.2 million, excluding employee ESOP and RSU grants, and 17.8 million, including all dilutive components. One thing to say compared to 2025, while the total fully diluted share did not change, we did see exercise of warrants in about 1.2 million, meaning it continue with this opportunity for additional future warrants exercise as the share will continue to increase. Balance sheet and cash management metrics, this has been covered and discussed in the previous slide. I will not return on that. Now back to Oren.
Thank you, L iad. This slide has six tiles of a snapshot and recap of execution across customers, technology, and partnership in Q1, most of which we have already covered, but I would like to briefly touch on two additional points. The international expansion. During the quarter, we announced design win with an Asia Pacific customer, a UAE-based defense manufacturer with initial orders, and an Israeli customer for India deployment with an initial order as well. The hardware first foot in the door playbook replicating across the regions, we see those expansion important for future growth of the company beyond United States, which is our focus today. We also launched two new products during the quarter. We continue with innovation, with maintaining the gap and answering the needs of the customers we are serving in America, in Europe.
The first, SkyHopper Tactical, which is a wearable software-defined communication solution purposely built in response to direct operational requirements from defense customers and designed for dismounted team operation in contested environment. That was a requirement that came from the early deployment into programs of record with the Department of Defense. Per those requirements that came in the second half of 2025, a new product was initiated, development was done, and product was released in a very short time, and it will arrive to the hands of the soldier that will use that very soon. The SkyHopper multiband, our next generation communication platform featuring software-defined band selection solution, which is twice the widest available solution in the market until that product was released.
We are doubling the capacity of the frequencies and operational scenario from any other solution for this market. That's unique, especially giving that software, that electromagnetic jamming interception and operation is the biggest issues today that we see in Ukraine, the Middle East, and American operation abroad. Therefore, expanding or doubling on that give better opportunity and performance to carry on the mission in any operational scenario. I would like to summarize our presentation to date. We believe that Mobilicom is entering an important transition period as Tier 1 defense programs advance from development to validation into broader production and deployment phases. Our investment thesis is centered on three core drivers. First, demand is building faster than current delivery timing. Backlog increased approximately 150% year-over-year.
Revenues visibility increased 50%. Mobilicom secure additional few millions of dollars order for program of record for deployment in United States as a follow-on to a $1.5 million order in late 2025. Second, we believe Mobilicom strategic moat continues to widen through expanding programs of record exposure with the FCC trusted drone designation, the growing Tier 1 customer relationship, and increasing cybersecurity requirements tied to the initiatives across autonomous defense systems. Third, the company is investing from the position of financial strength, ending the quarter with almost $18 million cash in hand, zero debt, no ATM facility, while continuing to invest in inventory to supply customer demand and being production readiness, including U.S. manufacturing footprint and cybersecurity solutions that support future production scalability opportunities, and higher margin recurring software revenue.
I think that this is the time to thank the leaders and employees around the world of Mobilicom for the tremendous effort this quarter. The execution, the dedication behind those results are all thanks to them. I also want to extend a specific thank to our co-founder, Yossi Segal, probably the smartest person I know. His continued innovation technology leadership, which remains central to Mobilicom differentiation for the long-term vision. Thanks to our entire team, we believe that Mobilicom is positioned at the right place and the right time, with rapidly evolving defense and autonomous system market, with significant opportunity ahead to scale and grow production programs ramp up, Tier 1 opportunity expansion, and demand for trusted cybersecure drone and autonomous solutions acceleration. On behalf of the entire Mobilicom team, thank you for the continued support. Chris, I think that this is the time to move to the Q&A.
Thank you. We'll now move to a question and answer session. Reminder for our analysts that are asking live questions, if you joined via the Zoom platform, please use the raise your hand function on the menu bar, and we'll unmute your line, and you can confirm with the pop-up on your screen. With that, I will open the line to Barry Sine with Litchfield Hills Research. Thank you.
Hey, good afternoon. Thank you for taking the call. Couple questions, if you don't mind. First of all, congratulations. Two major Tier 1 design wins, so we're off to the races there. I also really appreciated the update you gave us from last quarter's expected goals, and it looks like we're really meeting those goals. That's a great update, so thank you for that. Question is, on the new U.S. Tier 1 ISR design wins, could you just walk us through, typically, what is the path from a design win to the different milestones, and when might investors expect to see significant revenue coming from those new design wins?
Thank you, Barry. I would like to say typically what we usually have and specifically for those specific programs. For typical Mobilicom cycle with customers, and it's mainly dependent on the customers. Mobilicom is very fast and agile. Typically, 6- 12 months for integration certification, and then we move to initial production orders, and then to ramp up. For the two new design wins, customer evaluation and integration through 2026 is already in very progress stage. Therefore, we expect that they will translate from completion of all the validation testing and catalog into their sales catalog solutions within the third quarter, which allow them initial orders in late 2026, and material contribution of those platforms move to scale production in 2027 onward. Short answer, initial revenue in 2026 and meaningful revenue in 2027.
Presumably because these are programs of record or are large Tier 1s, not just in 2027, but continuing on beyond that.
Yes. Both of those platforms are of very large known companies, significant Tier 1 players that already have substantial business, both in U.S. with the Department of Defense, but also with allied countries. They don't have to look for the business. The business exists. The fact that they are a partner with Mobilicom, integrating Mobilicom to close the gap on needs that they have that couldn't be met and answered with the current solution, speaks volume about our opportunity and how fast they can scale that from validation and testing, which is completed right now, into business creation, which is the next phase.
My next question. You announced during the quarter, and you referenced this in the call, about your most recent regulatory win, which is all of your products are in the FCC Trusted Drone Program, and that is on top of multiple other compliance certifications. Can you walk us through what does that mean when you're going to a customer and competing for a design win? How does that impact customers' decisions not just for U.S. tier ones, but for other customers and internationally? Presumably, if you're meeting the standards in the U.S., that should benefit you globally.
Yes, definitely. First, it was important that you mentioned, but I would like to note it again, that our full suite is covered. The SkyHopper data link, the MCU Mesh Networking, the Mobile Ground Control Stations, the OS3 cybersecurity for autonomous platform, the ICE electronic warfare software, all of them were defined in the papers and the publication made by the Department of Defense and the FCC public to the world under Mobilicom as trusted and critical components for America for drones robotics. That was amazing that they decided to include all of our offering. Second, federal customers and their OEMs can use our components without any restriction or risk for government exclusion, which means it signals to the market that Mobilicom is a critical technology provider for trusted drone. Yet another validation for Mobilicom position by the government, which is the regulator.
I would like to emphasize, it's creating a U.S. small ecosystem of vendors that meet the different criteria who will enjoy the market scalability. You cannot buy something which is not within the ecosystem that was approved, certified and regulated, which is, in a sense, a walled garden opportunity for the players that are in this list, and it's a very short list. In addition to that, I think that the CSRMC and the CMMC standards and the Zero Trust Strategy on cybersecurity are becoming gating criteria for mass production. Competitors facing delays before they can ship to scale, and we do not. We can anticipate that if customers would like to scale their production and they have to meet the cybersecurity criteria, they will not be allowed to do so without meeting those things, and therefore, we are the solution for the scalability going forward.
With your question to the regulatory procurement decisions, we witnessed that bids and programs recently initiated required that the winners will meet such regulation before they receive mass procurement orders. One example that I can use is from the Drone Dominance Initiative or program, which is very famous recently, where several of the 11 winners named several months ago didn't receive eventually the commercial order, and they didn't because they didn't meet those criteria. That was a very powerful sign that it's great that you have technology and you pass the first holders of first phase, second phase.
Before you are getting any commercial large quantity orders, most of the list of the 11 didn't receive that because they didn't meet those NDA requirements by validation and testing, not by declaration, the cybersecurity requirements, and other procurement registration that Mobilicom has, which then advise you the importance of what we have achieved for getting to the scalability with different programs in the United States going forward.
One more question, if you don't mind, please. You've talked about two key programs of record. The first one, and I think that's tied to some of the large orders you've announced recently, is the U.S. Marine Corps OPF-L program. The new one is the U.S. Army LASSO program. The U.S. Army is about two and a half times bigger than the Marine Corps, I'm assuming that this is a much larger potential opportunity with this new program of record than even the one that you already have won with OPF-L. Can you talk about that?
Any program of record is substantial for Mobilicom, given the fact that it's not a regular order, it's a long-term, multi-year commitment of the government to buy, preserve their capability, maintain, replace, and so forth. Any program of record is a huge one. You've mentioned the fact that our partner progressed on the LASSO program, which is not yet in the commercial stage, but it's getting there, and there is few players over there. The fact that our partner, the Tier 1 American platform maker that use our solutions or multiple of our products, progress to the next phase is very important. Once they win that can open a huge scalability opportunity, which is multiple times bigger than the OPF-L that we have today. That's obvious.
The U.S. Army is much, much bigger than the Marine Corps, that could accelerate significantly our adoption, obviously. What we said in the past is once you win the first one, your chances of winning the following ones are much bigger. The fact that they move to the next phase actually prove what we said. I would like to remind that these specific partners is not engaging on one program of record like the OPF-L. They are targeting eight, four in the U.S., and four international. You can imagine their importance for Mobilicom if they will scale to two, three, four of the eight. That's obviously a strategic partner that we are proving our commitment to joint work and acceleration with him as we speak.
Okay. Thank you for taking my questions, Oren.
Thank you Barry.
Now we're going to take a question from Blair Carey, i3 Capital.
Hey, Oren and Liad. How are you guys?
Thank you, Blair. Thank you for joining us.
Thanks for the update. I just have a couple of quick questions here, more relating to not necessarily U.S. operations. We've seen a dramatic depreciation or appreciation of the new Israeli shekel versus the U.S. dollar over the last even six months. I would say it's really accelerated over the last Q1 of this year. What is sort of the expense mix, and how are you guys thinking about hedging against your U.S. revenues and your Israel expenses?
It's a tough question, but important question to be asked, and so I would like to address it. First, I would like to say that the fact that we have R&D and operation team and insight in Israel is very important given the fact that Israel is in the forefront of drones, robotics, autonomy, and cybersecurity. Everybody clearly see the biggest cyber or drones companies coming from Israel. Being with foot on the ground, with sites over there, with R&D center over there, with talent over there, is extremely important for Mobilicom, in addition to the fact that the combat-proven experience that we gain from our products being deployed over there, and the technology that we understand and develop in cooperation with the government over there is essential and priceless for Mobilicom going forward, introducing that innovation into America and elsewhere. That's important to understand.
Second, the recent year FX changes, it's been, I think, in the last 12 months, was significant, yes. It affects our new Israeli shekel, which is mainly labor cost for the team in Israel. Yet the production that we are doing in Israel is done under US dollars, which means that it's not suffering or affected by the changes in the FX currency between the US dollars and new Israeli shekels. Third point, I think, is that the ongoing team growth in United States, the operation in United States, alongside with the planned U.S. production capacity this year, will decrease the effect of FX going forward while contributing to our business opportunity growth in United States. In the short term, we also implement different defensive methodology, FX currency, and that's another angle that we took on that.
Okay. Thanks very much for that, Oren. That helps me understand. As I understand it right now, the current contract manufacturing is done both in Israel and the Philippines. Is that correct?
Currently, the production is done in Philippines and Israel, where everything is done under the US dollars.
Yep.
The new production capacity is built in United States based on the Pentagon requirement and request.
Yep.
We increase our footprint in America and made it 100% American product, which we are proud of, and aligning ourselves with the Department of Defense requirements.
Yep.
Would like to win on the back of that additional business, obviously.
Yeah, I understand. Okay. Basically, over the course of this year, as the production capacity expands in the U.S., we should expect less impact as a result of foreign exchange on the cost structures, was what I'm hearing.
Yes, definitely. The fact that we increasing our team over here, and operation over here, and production over here will balance the effects of the FX and give us a more balanced strategy for Mobilicom being international company with different sites. Yes.
Thank you very much. Can you give me an idea about what's going on with the sales cycle and compare between what you've experienced in the U.S. versus the rest of the world, but in particular APAC, and in the NATO region countries?
What we've seen in the U.S. is affecting obviously Europe and Israel and other sites which are worldwide, which are leaders in the drone evolution. Most of them are targeting also the Department of Defense market. We've seen that the fact that there is tremendous budgets being allocated by the U.S. need to close the gap on the production scalability that was done by our adversaries like Russia and elsewhere, Iran. Budgets and programs are being allocated and progress rapidly. Therefore, we see momentum build in the market, and therefore we see more of players building their capacity and needs and adjusting their solution to mass market and adjusting their solution to meet with the challenges that we see in the battlefield where we have experience. That accelerate the market momentum.
Obviously, there is one end of the equation that fuel the entire anticipation of ramp up. Once they are deployed, the beauty behind those programs is that they will continue for long term. It's not one procurement process that I have to chase the other one. It's procurement processes that have multi-year, usually 5- 10 years of constant deployment and delivery. I would like to also mention that Mobilicom specifically, our biggest success so far is in the loitering munition space, which is one-way ticket kamikaze drones. Once you use them, even for training, you have to buy another one.
Yeah
The recurring revenue on the hardware, let alone on the software. We have few things that are working well for us, although the recent wins were in a new field, in intelligence and surveillance field. Our previous wins in integrations and design wins by multiple Tier 1 players are in the loitering. We are now expanding into ISR drones and other elements. It is exciting time because the cycles in the U.S., it really depends on the companies. Some of the large companies we work with obviously are moving slower than Mobilicom. We are agile, very fast-moving company. Usually, we are ahead of the curve. We are before their needs, and we are waiting for them, which is obviously what you have to do when you are working with giants.
Once the giants are getting to mass market deployment, it's a great machine to ride to success, and this is what Mobilicom is doing.
Just to follow along with that, how does that relate, that cycle that you've described there today in the U.S. relate to your efforts in Europe and in the APAC region? Are you winning deals faster? Are your partners winning deals faster because there's already a quasi-certification from the Department of Defense? Or do you have to go through the same sort of procurement journey?
I would like to use real data from real meetings from the last few weeks, okay? Let's not extrapolate. Let's give you some information and truth.
Yeah.
In the last few weeks, Mobilicom was super busy across the globe. We've been in multiple conferences, exhibitions where we sponsored the event, had booths, lots of meetings with government procurement officers, program officers, as well as OEMs and manufacturers, which are eventually our target customers. We've done it in Europe, in multiple location in U.S. In those location, obviously we met with a lot of American companies, which some of them are partners right now or in partnership and progress, but a lot of other European or Israeli companies.
The fact that we met with Mobilicom and they want to replace their existing solution and add Mobilicom to their offering is to mainly Reduce the risk that once they will win something in America, they will have to replace their elements inside to something that America can trust, which is Mobilicom, one of few players over there. It's opened the door for us for additional business with Israeli as well as European companies that now would like and open the gate for Mobilicom for partnership and integration on the back of our success in America. Because if they want to win the American or NATO market, they have to use solutions that were certified and approved in America. Therefore, it accelerate or increase the opportunity for Mobilicom with companies outside of America. This is what I see.
I can name you, it's not one or two or three customers. Discussion were made and progress was made with multiple of those across the globe that we met in the recent weeks, in the recent two, three weeks.
I understand. Okay. Thank you. That's somewhat helpful. Just quickly, your OEMs, is it still mostly airborne drones that is of interest, or are they seeing more interest in land and sea drones as well?
One of the big Tier 1s that we are having from the A Tier 1s that we mentioned and discussed in Asia Pacific, a huge conglomerate, is all about ground robotics.
Okay, this is ground robotics. We've done some implementation with other Tier 1 in Israel, which is maritime.
Yeah
Deployed to India. I mean, actively deployed in India. We've seen and already implemented in other applications, which are either maritime or ground robotics from different kinds. Majority of loitering munition or small-sized drones, Group 1, Group 2, which are scalability-wise and volume-wise are the biggest and the lion's share of the market.
Okay. Thank you, Oren.
If you're chasing the dollar, dollars are big.
I get it. Thank you.
All right. Thank you, Oren, and thank you for those questions. With the interest of time, we're going to cut the presentation here. We saw some other questions come in via Q&A. We'll make sure to respond to you separately. That's going to conclude our session. On behalf of Oren, Liad, and the entire team, I want to thank you for joining us today and your continued interest in Mobilicom. A replay for this webinar, along with this presentation and related materials, will be available shortly on the IR site at ir.mobilicom.com. Along with the SEC filings, including our Form 20-F can be found at sec.gov. For any follow-up questions, feel free to reach out to me directly, Chris Donovan at ir@mobilicom.com. Thank you very much for your time, and enjoy the rest of your day.