Key Points
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Motorola Solutions expects broad-based growth, projecting 2026 gains of 10%–11% in mission-critical networks, about 11% in video security and about 15% in command-center software, supported by modernization of public-safety and federal infrastructure.
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Silvus Technologies is becoming a major defense growth driver, with approximately $850 million in expected 2026 sales at current capacity. Motorola is expanding production, sales and R&D as demand grows for secure communications in contested environments and unmanned-systems operations.
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D-Fend Solutions expands Motorola's counter-drone opportunity in public safety, airports, critical infrastructure and venues. The business was selected for a $1.5 billion U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant program and uses cyber-based technology to take control of and safely land threatening drones.
Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) is focused on executing across its mission-critical networks, command center software and video security businesses while scaling its recently acquired Silvus Technologies and D-Fend Solutions operations, Chief Operating Officer Jack Molloy said at a Truist conference.
Molloy described Motorola Solutions as a provider of public-safety, enterprise-security and defense-security solutions. The company's strategy centers on an "ecosystem" that combines voice, data, video and command-center software to support incident response and security operations for public agencies, defense organizations and critical-infrastructure customers.
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"We're focused on our end-user markets, providing outcomes that bring together not just the mission-critical network solution, which was fundamentally the bedrock of our company, but the command center software, as well as video," Molloy said.
Demand, Budgets and Growth Outlook
Molloy said the company has seen public-safety technology budgets grow faster than overall public-safety and state budgets. While some municipalities face fiscal pressure, he characterized Motorola Solutions' offerings as necessary rather than discretionary, citing investments in next-generation 911 systems, network refreshes and public-safety communications devices.
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He also pointed to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as a multiyear tailwind for the company's federal business, saying U.S. government agencies have older fleets of devices and infrastructure that need modernization.
The COO said Motorola Solutions reported record second-quarter orders and double-digit order growth in the first half of the year. The company has guided for double-digit product growth in the second half. Molloy cited the following growth expectations for 2026:
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Mission-critical networks growth of 10% to 11%.
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Video security growth of about 11%.
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Command center software growth of about 15%.
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Command center software growth includes roughly $100 million in APX NEXT applications expected by the end of fiscal 2026, according to Molloy. Those applications are designed to extend radio-network capabilities with functions including location information and programming that can reduce tasks previously requiring weeks to complete.
Silvus Capacity Expansion and Defense Demand
Molloy said Silvus, acquired in August 2025, is expected to generate about $850 million in 2026 sales based on current capacity. Motorola Solutions has added a production line in Culver City, California, and expects a Salt Lake City facility to begin contributing in the first quarter of 2027.
He said the Salt Lake City operation is modular and can support additional investment in manufacturing lines. Motorola Solutions has also more than doubled Silvus' sales force, expanded research and development investment and broadened international coverage.
Silvus provides mobile ad hoc network, or MANET, technology designed for operations in congested and contested environments. Molloy said demand is being supported by defense modernization efforts in the U.S., NATO countries and the Indo-Pacific region, as well as investments in unmanned systems.
While the company sees opportunities for Silvus in public safety during temporary events such as the Super Bowl and presidential inaugurations, Molloy said the current commercial focus remains on defense because spectrum is not broadly allocated for Silvus' public-safety uses.
He said the company views the Silvus opportunity as durable even if individual conflicts change, arguing that the technology is supported by longer-term military modernization needs and both long-cycle programs of record and near-term operational requirements.
D-Fend Targets Counter-Drone Security Market
Motorola Solutions also recently completed its acquisition of D-Fend Solutions, which provides cyber-based counter-drone technology. Molloy said D-Fend will operate as a separate business and will focus on public-safety end markets including cities, airports, critical infrastructure and entertainment venues.
He said D-Fend systems were deployed at 11 of 12 FIFA sites and at the U.S. Open. The company intends to use Motorola Solutions' North American and international public-safety sales relationships to expand D-Fend's reach.
Molloy said D-Fend was the only cyber-mitigation counter-unmanned aircraft system vendor selected in a U.S. Department of Homeland Security counter-drone grant program totaling $1.5 billion. He said D-Fend's technology can detect and mitigate drone threats by taking control of and landing drones rather than destroying them in the air.
Network Refreshes, Video Wins and Cost Management
The company sees its D-Series infrastructure refresh cycle as a five- to seven-year opportunity. Motorola Solutions supports 40 statewide U.S. networks, 10 Canadian provincial networks and approximately 1,300 underlying P25 networks, Molloy said. Customers are considering upgrades for improved channel efficiency, lower power consumption and greater network resiliency.
Molloy also cited recent competitive wins in video security, including business with the Florida state patrol, Kansas City and Louisiana Highway Patrol. The Louisiana deal includes body-worn and in-car video as well as a P25 network refresh. He said the company is winning business through its integrated product ecosystem, total cost of ownership and AI-enabled workflow tools such as translation, transcription and digital evidence management.
On costs, Molloy said rising DRAM and flash-memory prices have most affected the video business. Motorola Solutions has responded by accelerating inventory purchases, working with suppliers to secure supply continuity and implementing three "substantial" video price increases. He said the company has maintained comparable gross margins and delivered 170 basis points of operating-margin expansion this year.
Looking ahead, Molloy said his priorities are maintaining growth across the core businesses and ensuring Silvus and D-Fend have the resources to scale. He said the company remains acquisitive, with its capital-allocation framework directing 60% toward mergers and acquisitions and share repurchases, 30% toward dividends and 10% toward operating expenses.
About Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI)
Motorola Solutions, Inc develops mission-critical communications and technology solutions for public safety organizations, government agencies and commercial enterprises. Its offerings include land mobile radio systems, broadband communications, command-center software, computer-aided dispatch, records management, evidence management and emergency call-handling technologies.
The company also provides video security and access-control solutions, including body-worn cameras, in-car video systems, fixed video surveillance and related analytics.
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The article "Motorola Solutions Eyes Defense, Drone Security Growth as Silvus Scales" was originally published by MarketBeat.
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Facts Only
* Motorola Solutions projects 2026 gains of 10%–11% in mission-critical networks, 11% in video security, and 15% in command-center software.
* Silvus Technologies is expected to have approximately $850 million in 2026 sales based on current capacity.
* Motorola Solutions acquired D-Fend Solutions, which provides cyber-based counter-drone technology for public safety applications.
* D-Fend systems were selected for a $1.5 billion U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant program.
* Motorola Solutions supports 40 statewide U.S. networks and approximately 1,300 underlying P25 networks.
* The company has accelerated inventory purchases and implemented video price increases due to rising DRAM and flash-memory prices.
* Motorola Solutions has guided for double-digit product growth in the second half of the year.
* Silvus technology provides mobile ad hoc network (MANET) technology for congested environments.
Executive Summary
Motorola Solutions is focusing on growth across its mission-critical networks, command center software, and video security businesses by scaling acquisitions like Silvus Technologies and D-Fend Solutions. Growth projections for 2026 include 10%–11% in mission-critical networks, about 11% in video security, and about 15% in command-center software, supported by modernization efforts in public safety and federal infrastructure. The company positions itself as a provider of public-safety, enterprise-security, and defense-security solutions, centered on an ecosystem combining voice, data, video, and command-center software for incident response.
The expansion of Silvus Technologies is tied to growing demand for secure communications in contested environments and unmanned systems operations, with expected 2026 sales reaching approximately $850 million at current capacity. D-Fend Solutions provides counter-drone technology selected for a significant U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant program, focusing on mitigating drone threats through cyber-based methods. The company is also capitalizing on infrastructure modernization cycles and competitive wins in video security, leveraging its integrated product ecosystem to capture total cost of ownership from customers.
Full Take
The narrative weaves together high-growth software segments with tangible defense and security hardware expansions, suggesting a strategic pivot from legacy infrastructure maintenance toward advanced, outcome-based solutions. The expectation of double-digit growth across core areas is predicated on a government and public safety focus that views modernization not as discretionary spending but as necessity, especially given the federal 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' tailwind. This framing suggests a market driven less by consumer whim and more by mandated, cyclical infrastructure upgrades in public safety and defense contracting.
The positioning of Silvus and D-Fend illustrates an effort to monetize advanced capabilities beyond traditional communications hardware; the focus on MANET technology for contested environments indicates an acknowledgment of evolving geopolitical friction where communication security is paramount. The reliance on a broad "ecosystem" approach—integrating voice, data, video, and command-center software—is a sophisticated mechanism designed to increase customer stickiness and capture higher lifetime value through bundled services rather than single product sales. A key implication is the durability argument regarding Silvus: linking technology demand to long-term military modernization suggests that current commercial focus on defense provides a stable, multi-cycle revenue stream, mitigating the volatility of immediate public safety budget fluctuations. The pattern observed is the strategic leveraging of government necessity (defense grants and infrastructure needs) to drive private sector innovation and scale business lines in adjacent, high-barrier markets.
Bridge Questions: If demand for public safety technology remains strong despite fiscal pressures, how will changes in municipal budgetary priorities affect the pacing of network refreshes? Does the current growth trajectory account for potential regulatory shifts that could either accelerate or stall the adoption of counter-drone and MANET solutions in existing infrastructure? What is the long-term sustainability of relying on large, multiyear government contracts to fund the necessary scaling of R&D for these emerging technologies?