NEXA Enters CRADA with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to Advance Secure, Purpose-Built Mobile Solutions
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NEXA®, an industry leader in designing and delivering purpose-built IoT and mobility solutions for enterprise, today announced it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This collaboration will focus on advancing secure, resilient, and mission-ready mobile device solutions across the DHS priority areas, including cybersecurity, border security, transportation safety, and emergency response.
In support of this agreement, NEXA announced a $100M strategic investment to augment its portfolio and expand U.S.-based engineering, in addition to scaling operations, diversifying manufacturing, and strengthening supply chains for the U.S. government, its global enterprise customers, and first responder partners.
As part of the CRADA, NEXA and Qualcomm are extending their collaboration, with NEXA enabling sidelink capabilities on select Sonim-branded rugged devices, enabling direct device-to-device (D2D) connectivity without reliance on cellular infrastructure. DHS, along with other federal, state, and local agencies that require persistent communications, will directly benefit from this collaboration.
“Our mission has always been to build technology that enables first responders and government agencies to do their jobs more effectively and securely,” said Robert Morcos, CEO and founder of NEXA. “This CRADA with DHS reinforces our commitment to advancing innovation in purpose-built mobility, ensuring that the tools used by our nation’s protectors are designed with their unique needs in mind. We are also doubling down on U.S.-based design and development and moving away from ‘off-the-shelf’ uncertainty and toward a future of secure, resilient, and domestically engineered technology.”
About the CRADA between NEXA and DHS
The CRADA establishes a framework for NEXA and DHS to collaborate on research, testing, and development of U.S.-designed Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant mobility technology applicable to use cases required by DHS and similar organizations. By combining DHS’ operational expertise with NEXA’s track record of creating secure, purpose-built devices, the partnership will accelerate innovation and the deployment of solutions tailored to the unique needs of first responders and homeland security professionals. Further, it will allow for the assessment of solutions for DHS and first responders’ use cases and environments.
NEXA’s history of innovation with government partners includes the LOBO device, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) as part of a Phase II SBIR contract. The effort resulted in a purpose-built, enterprise-grade, 5G End User Device (EUD) prototype that meets the unique requirements of Air Force Special Warfare (AFSPECWAR) Airmen. This new CRADA builds upon that foundation, ensuring future solutions are designed and engineered in the USA to be perfectly aligned with the evolving needs of homeland security and public safety agencies, while ensuring supply chain security and compliance throughout all phases of manufacturing.
“Regardless of the mission, success depends on secure, reliable, and efficient communications. NEXA translates complex operational requirements into fielded capability with speed and discipline. Our processes ensure a secure and reliable supply chain with repeatable manufacturing that simplifies contracting and maintains the agility needed for modern tactical communications,” said Ed Shulman, President of NEXA.
Extending collaboration with Qualcomm to enable 5G sidelink on NEXA devices
The initiative also includes collaboration with Qualcomm, whose expertise in secure mobile platforms will be an important part of the program. Both NEXA and Qualcomm are conducting in-depth testing of 5G sidelink wireless technology, which allows LTE and 5G devices to interact directly, providing lower latency, increased reliability, and connectivity in areas without cellular coverage, making it ideal for Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), public safety, and IoT applications. Integrating sidelink technology into NEXA devices will strengthen critical communication capabilities and improve reliability across multiple DHS mission areas.
Across public safety, first responders are rapidly adopting advanced wireless capabilities such as 5G NR (New Radio) sidelink for direct device-to-device (D2D) continuity, 3GPP non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and satellite connectivity for wide-area resilience, the Team Awareness Kit (TAK/ATAK) for shared situational awareness, mission-critical push-to-talk (PTT) capabilities, robust location, and 5G network slicing for prioritized network routing. Agencies like the DHS benefit from a partner that can translate these standards into field-proven hardware with speed and rigor. NEXA designs, engineers, certifies, and deploys purpose-built solutions quickly, providing a practical path from prototype to production that consumer-focused OEMs typically cannot match.
Qualcomm and NEXA will demonstrate the sidelink solutions integrated with rugged 5G devices at Critical Communications World in Qualcomm’s booth, Stand H1, June 16–18, in London. To schedule a meeting, contact marketing@nexamobility.com.
About NEXA
NEXA® is a global innovator in enterprise mobility, specializing in private-label solutions that empower organizations to work smarter and scale faster. Our diversified portfolio spans handhelds, tablets, wearables, and IoT devices, each designed in the USA, fully certified, and built to meet the highest industry standards.
Established in 2011 and with more than 15 million devices deployed globally, NEXA has a proven track record of delivering secure, scalable mobility solutions that integrate seamlessly into enterprise ecosystems. From healthcare and transportation to the public sector and defense, our solutions are engineered for performance, durability, and long-term deployment. U.S.-based design expertise combined with global reach ensures solutions that meet the exact requirements of our diverse client base.
At NEXA, we believe the future of enterprise mobility is purpose-built, compliant, and globally ready, and we’re standing behind that belief by building the next generation of enterprise innovation.
To learn more about NEXA, visit www.nexamobility.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
Media Contacts:
Anette Gaven
marketing@nexamobility.com
Nichols Communications for NEXA
Jay Nichols
+1 408 772 1551
jay@nicholscomm.com
Anette Gaven
NEXA
+1 619-993-3058
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