NEXA signs DHS CRADA, plans $100M U.S. mobility push

By AI, Created 11:16 PM UTC, June 01, 2026, /AGP/ – NEXA has entered a research and development agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to advance secure mobile devices for public safety and federal missions. The company also plans a $100 million investment in U.S.-based engineering and manufacturing as it expands work with Qualcomm on direct device-to-device connectivity.

Why it matters: - The DHS agreement gives NEXA a formal path to develop mobility tools for cybersecurity, border security, transportation safety and emergency response. - The $100 million investment is aimed at expanding U.S.-based engineering, manufacturing diversity and supply-chain resilience. - The Qualcomm work could improve communications for first responders and agencies that need connectivity when cellular networks are unavailable.

What happened: - NEXA entered a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on June 2, 2026. - The collaboration focuses on secure, resilient, mission-ready mobile device solutions for DHS priority areas. - NEXA also announced a $100 million strategic investment tied to portfolio expansion and U.S.-based engineering. - The company said the investment will also support scaled operations, diversified manufacturing and stronger supply chains for government, enterprise and first responder customers. - NEXA and Qualcomm are extending their collaboration to enable sidelink capabilities on select Sonim-branded rugged devices. - NEXA will show the sidelink solutions with rugged 5G devices at Critical Communications World in Qualcomm’s booth, Stand H1, June 16-18, in London. - Meeting requests can be sent to marketing@nexamobility.com.

The details: - The CRADA creates a framework for research, testing and development of U.S.-designed Trade Agreements Act-compliant mobility technology. - DHS will work with NEXA to assess solutions for agency use cases and operating environments. - The partnership is intended to speed deployment of hardware tailored for first responders and homeland security professionals. - NEXA said the effort builds on its prior government work, including the LOBO device developed with U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command under a Phase II SBIR contract. - That effort produced a prototype 5G end-user device for Air Force Special Warfare requirements. - NEXA said the new CRADA is designed to keep future solutions engineered in the U.S. and aligned with supply-chain security and manufacturing compliance. - Ed Shulman, president of NEXA, said secure and reliable communications are essential for mission success. - Shulman said NEXA’s process is built to deliver secure supply chains and repeatable manufacturing that simplifies contracting. - Qualcomm and NEXA are testing 5G sidelink wireless technology, which enables direct LTE and 5G device-to-device communication without cellular infrastructure. - The company says sidelink can lower latency, improve reliability and extend connectivity in areas without cell coverage. - NEXA pointed to Vehicle-to-Everything, public safety and IoT applications as use cases for the technology. - The company also cited broader public-safety technologies including 5G NR sidelink, non-terrestrial networks, satellite connectivity, Team Awareness Kit, mission-critical push-to-talk, location tools and 5G network slicing. - NEXA says it designs, engineers, certifies and deploys purpose-built solutions quickly. - NEXA says the approach moves projects from prototype to production faster than consumer-focused OEMs typically can.

Between the lines: - The DHS deal positions NEXA closer to federal buyers that want domestic engineering and TAA-compliant supply chains. - The Qualcomm collaboration signals that NEXA wants to compete on advanced connectivity features, not just rugged hardware. - The focus on sidelink and non-terrestrial connectivity reflects a broader shift toward resilient communications when networks fail or are unavailable.

What’s next: - NEXA and Qualcomm will continue testing sidelink on rugged 5G devices. - The companies will publicly demonstrate the integrated solutions in London on June 16-18. - NEXA is likely to use the DHS framework to advance additional secure mobility products for public safety and homeland security customers.

The bottom line: - NEXA is pairing a federal R&D agreement with a major U.S. investment and deeper Qualcomm ties to push purpose-built secure mobility deeper into government and first-responder markets.