Q1 2026 | Confidential
$6.64 billion today. $20.31 billion by 2030. The counter-drone market is growing at 25% annually — and nobody in the U.S. has built the training facility this market demands.
In January 2026, the Department of Homeland Security launched a $1.5 billion counter-drone contract vehicle — the largest in its history. That same month, DHS stood up a new Program Executive Office dedicated entirely to drone and counter-drone technology, with $115 million committed immediately to secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America250 celebrations. FEMA executed the fastest non-disaster grant award in Department history — $250 million to 11 states for counter-UAS capabilities.
The FBI’s National Counter-UAS Training Center is now actively deputizing state and local law enforcement for counter-drone authority. There are 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the United States. The FBI cannot train them alone.
The federal government is spending billions on counter-drone technology. What it doesn’t have is enough places to train the people who operate it.
Apex Tactical Systems will be that place.
The drone threat is no longer theoretical. Ukraine proved that $500 commercial drones destroy million-dollar vehicles. Prison contraband deliveries via drone have surged 400%+ in three years. Every NFL stadium, power grid, and border crossing in America now faces aerial threats that didn’t exist a decade ago.
The demand signal is overwhelming:
| Federal Program | Scale | Status |
|---|---|---|
| DHS Counter-Drone Contract Vehicle | $1.5B | Launched Jan 2026 |
| DHS Program Executive Office (C-UAS) | $115M initial investment | Operational Jan 2026 |
| FEMA C-UAS Grant Program | $250M to 11 states | Awarded Dec 2025 |
| FBI National Counter-UAS Training Center | 18,000+ LE agencies to train | Active — seeking partners |
| FLETC sUAS Pilot Training | Federal standard (80-hr program) | Partnership opportunities |
| Blue UAS Program (DoD/DIU) | Growing fleet, all operators need training | Expanding |
The global counter-UAS market is valued at $6.64 billion in 2025 and projected to reach $20.31 billion by 2030 — a 25.1% CAGR (MarketsandMarkets, Nov 2025). The anti-drone segment alone is growing at 26.5% annually.
The gap: No facility in the United States combines Special Forces tactical methodology, drone operations, counter-UAS training, cybersecurity/IoT integration, and federal contracting advantages under one roof. The government needs this capability. The private market doesn’t offer it. We will build it.
Apex Tactical Systems is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) establishing a full-spectrum tactical training and technology center on 1,100 acres in East Tennessee — purpose-built for the counter-drone era.
Five integrated training domains. One facility. No competitor offers this.
| Domain | Capability |
|---|---|
| Counter-UAS | Detection, tracking, classification, and mitigation training using radar, RF, acoustic, and EO/IR sensor arrays |
| Drone/UAS Operations | Part 107 certification, combat UAS methodology, ISR integration, air-ground coordination |
| Cyber / IoT / EW | Virtual cyber ranges, IoT sensor exploitation, RF spectrum analysis, electronic warfare simulation |
| Tactical Training | SF/SOF small-unit methodology, shoot house, night operations (NVG/thermal), surveillance/countersurveillance |
| Corporate & Hospitality | Premium glamping, executive retreats, team-building — generating revenue during training downtime |
The facility is designed around a persistent technology layer — a 1,100-acre IoT sensor network, AI-driven analytics, and a drone detection array that turns every training scenario into a data-rich, real-world simulation. This is not a gun range with a drone. It’s a defense technology platform.
Why the glamping component? Twenty to fifty premium units on panoramic Smoky Mountain acreage generate $700K–$1M annually during facility downtime. The Great Smoky Mountains saw 11.5 million visitors in 2025. Sevierville-Pigeon Forge-Gatlinburg ranks #3 nationally for short-term rental revenue. The corporate retreat market is projected to reach $73.7 billion by 2034 (Allied Market Research). Dual-use infrastructure — lodging, dining, wellness — serves both training clients and hospitality guests. Investors get a defense company with a built-in hospitality hedge.
This isn’t a startup team that met at a conference. These operators served together in combat — in Iraq, on the same Special Forces team — and built the trust that only comes from shared risk under fire.
Why John: The rare operator who is equally credible briefing a SOCOM general and architecting an AWS infrastructure. He doesn’t just understand what to train — he can build the technology platform that makes training world-class.
Why Amy: She didn’t get a Part 107 and read a manual. She ran drone operations in a combat zone. That credibility is the foundation of every UAS course Apex delivers.
Why Travis: Currently at the frontier of military AI and autonomous drone technology. He bridges Shield AI’s bleeding-edge R&D directly into Apex’s training platform. This connection alone is worth the investment.
“We were in Iraq together on the same team.” The founding team’s cohesion isn’t corporate — it’s combat-forged. Investors rarely see this level of operational credibility, technical depth, and pre-existing trust in a single team.
Apex isn’t just a training facility. It’s a federal contracting vehicle.
As a certified SDVOSB, Apex accesses structural advantages that competitors cannot replicate:
| Advantage | Impact |
|---|---|
| Sole-Source Contracts | Direct awards up to $5M (DoD) and $4M (civilian) — no competitive bidding required |
| 5% Federal Goal | Government agencies must award at least 5% of all contract dollars to SDVOSBs |
| Set-Aside Contracts | Restricted competition pools — only other SDVOSBs can bid |
| VA Vets First | Priority access to all VA contracts |
| Evaluation Preferences | Many solicitations include veteran preference scoring |
What this means in practice: A contracting officer at DHS, FBI, or DoD who needs counter-drone training can award a contract directly to Apex — up to $5 million — without a competitive bidding process. In a market where the government is spending $1.5 billion and scrambling for qualified providers, this is an extraordinary advantage.
The government’s 5% SDVOSB contracting goal generated over $30 billion in veteran small business awards in recent fiscal years. Apex is positioned to capture a meaningful share of the counter-drone training segment.
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $650K | $1.8M | $4.2M | $6.85M | $9.2M |
| Gross Margin | 60% | 65% | 70% | 72% | 73% |
| EBITDA | ($200K) | $320K | $1.1M | $2.0M | $2.8M |
| EBITDA Margin | — | 18% | 26% | 29% | 30% |
| Net Income | ($350K) | $120K | $850K | $1.7M | $2.45M |
Break-even: Mid-Year 2 (8.4 training days/month; target is 8–12 events/month)
| Stream | Year 5 Revenue | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Contracts | $5.0M | 54% |
| State & Local Law Enforcement | $1.5M | 16% |
| Corporate / Private Sector | $0.8M | 9% |
| Glamping & Wellness | $1.0M | 11% |
| Allied / Partner Nation | $0.5M | 5% |
| Civilian Training | $0.4M | 4% |
Federal contracts provide the stable, recurring revenue base. Law enforcement and corporate training scale predictably. Glamping captures Smoky Mountain tourism demand during facility downtime. Allied nation training commands 2–3x premium pricing. Multiple revenue streams mean no single contract loss is existential.
| Method | Multiple | Implied Value |
|---|---|---|
| Conservative (8x EBITDA) | 8x | $22.4M |
| Moderate (10x EBITDA) | 10x | $28.0M |
| Premium (12x — SDVOSB + OZ + growth) | 12x | $33.6M |
| Plus: Undeveloped land value | 800+ acres @ $5K+ | $4.0M+ |
| Enterprise Value Range | $26M – $38M |
On a $6.5M investment, that’s a 4–6x return in five years.
The target property sits in a designated Opportunity Zone — and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025) made OZ benefits permanent and significantly enhanced them.
| Benefit | Standard QOF | Rural QROF |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Gains Deferral | Rolling 5-year | Rolling 5-year |
| Basis Step-Up at 5 Years | 10% | 30% |
| 10-Year Appreciation | 100% tax-free | 100% tax-free |
| Substantial Improvement | 100% of basis | 50% of basis |
| Investment Window | Through Dec 31, 2033 | Through Dec 31, 2033 |
| Program Duration | PERMANENT | PERMANENT |
This property qualifies as a Rural Qualified Opportunity Zone — unlocking the enhanced 30% basis step-up for investors deploying capital gains through a Qualified Rural Opportunity Fund (QROF).
| Scenario | Without OZ | With Rural QROF |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate capital gains tax | $2,380,000 | $0 (deferred) |
| Tax due at Year 5 | — | $1,666,000 (on $7M after 30% step-up) |
| Tax on 10-year appreciation (3x) | $4,760,000 | $0 |
| Total tax paid | $7,140,000 | $1,666,000 |
| Total tax savings | — | $5,474,000 |
Tennessee charges no state income tax. The full federal OZ benefit flows through with zero state tax friction.
For investors sitting on capital gains, this structure converts a tax liability into a tax-advantaged investment in a high-growth defense sector — with permanent exclusion of all appreciation after 10 years.
| Use of Funds | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Property Acquisition (1,103 acres, negotiated) | $3,200,000 | 49% |
| Range & Facility Construction | $1,200,000 | 18% |
| C-UAS / Drone Equipment & Sensors | $600,000 | 9% |
| Cyber Range & IT Infrastructure | $400,000 | 6% |
| Working Capital (12 months) | $500,000 | 8% |
| Legal, Licensing, Insurance | $250,000 | 4% |
| Marketing & Business Development | $200,000 | 3% |
| Closing, Due Diligence, Contingency | $150,000 | 2% |
The property — 1,103 acres at $3,200/acre negotiated — has been on market 595 days with a prior listing at $2.95M. Timber on the property is estimated at $2.2M–$5.8M, partially offsetting acquisition cost through strategic clearing for ranges and facilities.
Investment structured as a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF) — or Qualified Rural Opportunity Fund (QROF) — to maximize tax benefits. SBA 504/7(a) loan programs provide additional leverage with SDVOB fee waivers and preferred terms.
| Milestone | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Property acquired, construction begins | Q3–Q4 2026 |
| SDVOSB certification received | Q4 2026 |
| First training courses operational | Q1 2027 |
| First federal contract awarded (sole-source) | Q3–Q4 2027 |
| Break-even | Mid-2027 |
| Glamping units generating revenue | 2028 |
| Multiple federal contracts, $4M+ revenue | 2029 |
| Full facility operational, $8M+ revenue | 2030 |
| Year 5 enterprise value: $26–38M | 2031 |
The market is real. $6.64B today, $20.31B by 2030. DHS alone committed $1.5B in January 2026.
The gap is clear. No U.S. facility integrates counter-UAS + drone ops + cyber/IoT + tactical training + SDVOSB federal contracting.
The team is rare. Combat-forged SF veterans with deep tech expertise and active defense industry connections. You can’t recruit this team — it already exists.
The structure is advantaged. SDVOSB sole-source to $5M. Opportunity Zone tax benefits now permanent. Rural QROF = 30% basis step-up. Tennessee = no state income tax.
The numbers work. $9.2M revenue and $2.8M EBITDA at Year 5. 4–6x return on a $6.5M investment. Multiple revenue streams with federal contracts as the anchor.
We invite you to:
John Chain Founder & CEO, Apex Tactical Systems
📧 john@chainai.io 📱 (719) 351-3513 🔗 linkedin.com/in/john-chain
This document contains confidential business information intended solely for prospective investors and strategic partners. It does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy securities. All financial projections are estimates based on market data and management assumptions. Actual results may vary materially. Investment involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Consult qualified financial, tax, and legal professionals before making investment decisions.
© 2026 Apex Tactical Systems. All rights reserved.