Raft acquires N3bula Systems for undisclosed amount

McLean-based defense technology company Raft announced last week it has acquired weapons technology developer N3bula Systems as part of an effort to expand artificial intelligence and data services for military systems.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. N3bula Systems, founded in 2020 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, is known for developing defense infrastructure that connects sensors, shooters and weapons systems across services and domains.

Raft says the acquisition will create a unified AI and data backbone “that transforms fragmented military systems into a seamless, machine-speed operational network.” The company says the partnership will enable faster decision making for military systems, due autonomous data fusion.

Raft Founder and CEO Shubhi Mishra described N3bula Systems as “one of the most impactful teams in defense technology.”

“We embed directly with warfighters as trusted edge nodes, scale proven AI across mission-critical operations, and deliver real solutions to real battlefield problems — faster than established players,” Mishra said in a statement. “This signals a fundamental shift toward edge-native defense innovation.”

Raft says the acquisition will support President Donald Trump‘s administration’s defense priorities, including the development of a proposed nationwide “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

“The decision came down to mission alignment and execution capability,” said Ryan Mize, founder and president of N3bula Systems, in a statement. “Raft demonstrates consistent delivery of what warfighters actually ask for. As a new prime, they represent the future of defense contracting — impact over bureaucracy, and we want to be part of that.”

The acquisition will increase Raft’s number of employees from more than 350 to almost 400. This is Raft’s first acquisition since receiving a $60 million investment from Washington Harbour Partners in May 2024.

Last week, Mishra was one of five Virginia business leaders who won Ernst & Young’s Mid-Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award for 2025.