Red Cat Partners with Washington Commanders to Back Military Community
Red Cat announces a multiyear partnership with the Washington Commanders focused on supporting America's military community. Here's what we know.
In brief
Red Cat has announced a multiyear partnership with the Washington Commanders aimed at supporting America's military community. The agreement pairs a defense and drone technology company with one of the NFL's most prominent franchises. Details on specific programs, financial terms, and initiatives under the partnership have not been publicly released.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Red Cat and the Washington Commanders have entered a multiyear partnership agreement.
The partnership is explicitly focused on supporting America's military community.
Financial terms and specific program details have not been publicly disclosed.
Red Cat and the Commanders Team Up Around Military Mission
Red Cat — a company operating in the defense and drone technology space — has formalized a multiyear relationship with the Washington Commanders, according to an announcement from Red Cat. The partnership centers on a shared commitment to America's military community, though neither organization has released specifics on how that commitment will be operationalized through programming or events.
The Commanders have a long-standing connection to the U.S. military, rooted in the franchise's Washington-area home base — a region that includes some of the highest concentrations of active-duty servicemembers, veterans, and defense-sector employees in the country. Joint Base Andrews, Fort Belvoir, the Pentagon, and Marine Corps Base Quantico all sit within the broader DMV footprint that the Commanders call home.
For Red Cat, aligning with an NFL franchise brings significant visibility. The NFL remains one of the most-watched sports leagues in the United States, and partnership deals with franchises often include in-stadium branding, community activations, and co-branded outreach efforts — though none of those specifics have been confirmed for this arrangement.
Corporate partnerships between defense-adjacent companies and professional sports franchises are increasingly common, particularly in markets with dense military populations. The Washington metro area — home to the Department of Defense, dozens of federal contractors, and a massive veteran community — makes the Commanders a natural partner for any company seeking to engage that demographic authentically.
Organizations like the USO and veteran-focused federal programs have long recognized that professional sports provide one of the most effective platforms for reaching and honoring servicemembers. Whether Red Cat's partnership taps into that ecosystem — through ticket programs, on-field recognition, or community outreach — has yet to be detailed publicly.
For coverage of how DC's professional sports franchises intersect with the region's political and institutional power structure, see WDCM's DC Power Players Index and our ongoing politics coverage.
Why This Matters in Washington
Washington DC sits at the intersection of professional sports and national defense in a way no other American city does. The Commanders play in a market where the military is not just a civic symbol but an economic engine — hundreds of thousands of DMV residents work in or alongside the defense sector. A partnership explicitly designed to support that community carries weight here that it simply would not carry in other NFL cities. As the Commanders continue rebuilding their brand under new ownership, deals that connect the franchise to the region's core identity — government, service, and national security — are a deliberate strategic move. Red Cat's entry into that space signals that defense-sector companies see real value in the Commanders' platform. Readers tracking the DC Power Index will want to watch how this partnership develops.
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FAQ: Red Cat and Washington Commanders Military Partnership
What is the Red Cat and Washington Commanders partnership? Red Cat has announced a multiyear partnership with the Washington Commanders focused on supporting America's military community. Specific program details and financial terms have not been publicly disclosed.
Who is Red Cat? Red Cat is a company operating in the defense and drone technology sector. The company announced the partnership directly, according to the Red Cat press release.
How long is the partnership? The partnership is described as multiyear. No specific end date or contract length has been publicly disclosed.
Why did the Commanders partner with a defense company? The Commanders are based in the Washington metro area, one of the highest concentrations of active-duty military, veterans, and defense-sector workers in the United States, making military-focused partnerships a natural fit for the franchise.
What will the partnership do for the military community? The stated focus is supporting America's military community, but specific initiatives, programs, or activations have not been announced publicly at this time.
The bottom line: Red Cat and the Washington Commanders have entered a multiyear agreement centered on supporting the U.S. military community — a partnership that fits naturally in a metro area defined by its defense workforce and veteran population. The details of what that support looks like in practice remain to be announced. Watch for program specifics as both organizations provide further information.
Reporting drawn from: Red Cat. Washington DC Magazine provides original analysis, DC-specific context, and editorial perspective beyond the source material.This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by WDCM editorial staff. Washington DC Magazine is committed to accuracy, transparency, and editorial integrity. If you believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact editor@washingtondcmagazine.com.
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CAN I KICK IT? screens New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument, on Aug. 22. (Courtesy SHAOLIN JAZZ)
The live-cinema series CAN I KICK IT? returns to the National Mall this month with what its producers are calling the "Gangsters on the Mall" chapter of their free outdoor summer run. On Saturday, August 22, the SHAOLIN JAZZ production brings the 1991 crime classic New Jack City to the Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument for a night of film, music, and community under the DC summer sky.
What sets the event apart is the sound. As the film plays, DJ 2-Tone Jones builds an original score in real time, reimagining one of the most iconic crime movies of the ’90s through hip-hop, soul, funk, and more. It is less a movie screening than a live performance built around the film.
The details:
Film: New Jack City (1991), with a live soundtrack by DJ 2-Tone Jones
When: Saturday, August 22 — seating opens at 7:30 p.m. (bring lawn chairs and blankets); film begins at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument, Independence Ave SW & 15th St NW
A parking note from the organizers: expect road closures and restricted parking east of 14th Street NW due to a separate race event in the District. Roads west of 14th Street NW will be accessible and available for parking.
New Jack City is the second of three screenings in this year’s free CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series, which opened with Black Panther at Skyland Town Center and concludes with Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial on September 5. Produced by the Washington, DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, the series has presented more than 150 live cinematic experiences at venues across the country, from Lincoln Center to SXSW.
"I wanted to be able to tell good stories with substance and remove the ‘ego’ out of the art," said Andrew Huang during a recent interview. Now, he’s building his career at the intersection of discipline, creativity and innovation.
Andrew Huang, founder of New Place Studios. (Courtesy photo)
As a Chinese American, Huang was reared with a deep respect for hard work, consistency and excellence. He describes his childhood as "not so affluent" and later attended college to hone his passion for videography. "In college I tried to do something I loved, which was video, but along the way I knew that I had to find a job. And so I thought, ‘what was the low hanging fruit to get to that stable 9 to 5 job?,’" he stated.
Later in life, Huang found himself working for corporations where his creativity was often limited, eventually leading to burnout. "I worked in a corporation for a long time and there were a lot of missing pieces. I wanted to fill in gaps missing in corporate video production," said Huang.
He later described how his upbringing and a mindset of "survival" led him toward a corporate career. However, his desire for balance and authentic storytelling ultimately pushed him to take the entrepreneurial leap.
"I founded a new place where you can create video and film with ‘substance and style,’" said Huang. His desire for work-life balance and passion for storytelling naturally evolved into a small business based in Virginia. With the launch of New Place Studios, the entrepreneur quickly found himself reconnecting with the values that would become the foundation of everything he creates behind the camera.
Huang said being a business owner has allowed him to first embrace himself. While others may see video as simply capturing moments, he sees it as a way to preserve stories that inspire, connect and leave a lasting imprint.
By combining cinematic visuals with cutting-edge production techniques and a keen understanding of branding, Huang helps organizations and individuals communicate their vision with purpose. He said understanding a client’s "why" serves as the compass for delivering the services they need.
One benefit of working with a small business, he said, is that clients get to see the production process unfold through a micro lens while working with the same faces throughout the entire project. "The work feels personal," said Huang.
Huang does not regret leaving behind the flash-over-substance mentality and corporate hustle culture. That does not mean the Asian American entrepreneur has been without challenges in the industry. "It’s relatively hard to find other Asian American creatives or people who would want to work with me in the DMV," said Huang.
He identifies the industry culture in which everyone is trying to blend in, creatives may fear displaying their Asian identity and some feel pressure to adopt an American corporate persona. He also points to what he describes as a level of gatekeeping within the industry. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2024 statistics, Asian American and Pacific Islander entrepreneurs own more than 3 million businesses and employ 5.2 million people in the United States.
After tapping into organizations such as SCORE, which offers free small business mentorship, New Place Studios has become a trusted creative partner throughout the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia). The company produces a range of creative services, including commercials, corporate branding, documentaries, film, 2D animation, motion graphics and photography.
For Huang, entrepreneurship has become more than a departure from corporate life. It has given him the freedom to create with intention, build meaningful connections and tell stories that go beyond the surface.
The 2026 CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
For three Saturdays this summer, some of Washington’s most familiar public spaces will do something they rarely do after dark: fill up with blankets, lawn chairs, and the sound of a movie being scored live, in real time. CAN I KICK IT?, the traveling “live cinema” series produced by the DC-based multimedia arts company SHAOLIN JAZZ, is bringing a free outdoor run to the city — pairing three era-defining films with an original soundtrack performed on the spot by DJ 2-Tone Jones.
The premise is what sets it apart from a normal screening in the park. Rather than simply pressing play, 2-Tone Jones builds a score as the film unfolds, pulling from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, electronic music, and sounds from around the world. The result, the organizers say, is less a movie night than a one-time performance — the same film you know, wired to a soundtrack you have never heard and will not hear again. Guest DJs warm up the crowd starting at 7:30 PM before each 8:30 PM screening.
The 2026 outdoor schedule
All three events are free and open to the public.
Saturday, August 8 — Black Panther at Skyland Town Center. A pop-up marketplace and community activities kick off the evening; guest DJs at 7:30 PM, film at 8:30 PM. Marvel’s superhero epic gets a one-night-only live score in Southeast DC.
Saturday, August 22 — New Jack City at the Sylvan Theater, Washington Monument. Seating begins at 7:30 PM; the film starts at 8:30 PM. The 1991 crime drama plays out at the foot of one of the country’s most recognizable landmarks.
Saturday, September 5 — Scarface at the Lincoln Memorial. Seating at 7:30 PM; film at 8:30 PM. The series closes with Brian De Palma’s crime saga against the backdrop of the Memorial, scored live from start to finish.
First up: Black Panther at Skyland Town Center on August 8. Poster courtesy of SHAOLIN JAZZ.
A DC company with a national footprint
SHAOLIN JAZZ describes itself as a Washington-based arts company working at the intersection of music, film, art, and culture, and CAN I KICK IT? is its signature production. According to the organizers, the series has staged more than 150 live cinematic experiences around the country — at performing arts centers, museums, festivals, and cultural institutions including Lincoln Center in New York, SXSW, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Republic Square in Austin, the Tacoma Armory, and The Cary Theater.
“CAN I KICK IT? has always been about creating a shared experience,” said Gerald Watson, co-founder of SHAOLIN JAZZ. “When you combine iconic films with live music in public spaces, something special happens. People aren’t just watching a movie — they’re experiencing it together. That’s what makes these nights so memorable.”
Cinema as a community event
The DC run lands as cities across the country look for new ways to activate public space through arts and culture — and this series is a straightforward pitch for how to do it: take a landmark everyone already knows, add a film everyone has an opinion about, and let a live soundtrack turn the evening into something neighbors experience shoulder to shoulder. Families, film buffs, and music fans are all invited, and admission won’t cost a thing.
The CAN I KICK IT? outdoor series runs August 8, August 22, and September 5. All events are free; check SHAOLIN JAZZ (shaolinjazz.com) for the latest details and any weather updates before heading out.
