By Abhinav Parmar

May 5 (Reuters) - AI-powered defense startup Anduril Industries on Monday said it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Ireland-based tactical communications systems maker Klas.

Anduril, along with software maker Palantir PLTR.O and Elon Musk's SpaceX, has emerged as frontrunners to win a crucial part of President Donald Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense shield, Reuters reported last month citing people familiar with the matter.

The deal, the terms of which were not disclosed and is subject to regulatory approvals, aims to strengthen the defense technology firm's autonomous warfare systems with Klas's hardware.

Klas manufactures compact computers and internet equipment that enable soldiers to communicate and control drones, even in environments lacking electricity and cellphone signals.

Anduril, which is backed by venture capital heavyweights, will integrate Klas' hardware into its AI-powered software platform Lattice, the "central brain" of its AI-powered autonomous systems.

Lattice synthesizes data from sensors of various unmanned systems to provide a real-time battlefield overview, facilitating collaboration between machines and humans.

Klas, which has 150 employees, is expected to continue operating from its facilities in Ireland and the U.S., as part of the deal, with plans to expand manufacturing capacity to meet increased demand.

This marks the ninth deal by Anduril since it was established in 2017.

Reuters previously reported that the company was in talks for a new funding round that could increase its valuation to $28 billion, according to sources.

(Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington and Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

((Abhinav.Parmar@thomsonreuters.com;))