Pierce Aerospace and Northrop Grumman Enter into Mentor-Protégé Partnership

Indianapolis, IN — Pierce Aerospace announced that it has entered into a mentor-protege relationship with Northrop Grumman through its Defense Systems Sector. Mentor-Protégé programs between small businesses and prime contractors like Northrop Grumman expand small business footprints into the defense industrial base and government marketplaces, including advancing technical development and strengthening small business opportunities with the US Government.

“We’re excited to work with Northrop Grumman in this Mentor-Protégé program,” said Aaron Pierce, CEO of Pierce Aerospace. “We’ve worked with Northrop to execute Remote ID integrations in the field with our Flight Portal ID technology suite and Northrop’s M-ACE counter-drone and Forward Area Air Defense C2 (FAAD C2) products. Northrop is an advocate for our Remote ID / Combat ID technology and this is a great alignment as FAAD C2 is selected for use with the US Army-led Joint Counter UAS office. Importantly, this mentor program bolsters our vision for growth as Northrop brings it’s experience and expertise to aid in the development of our overall business capabilities.”

Mentor-Protege programs aid non-traditional defense contractors to grow their small businesses capabilities as a bridge to success when working with the US Government. This includes opportunities for technology mentorship and advancement of a small business’s structure, organization, and processes for working with and growing when contracting with the US Government.

“Northrop Grumman Armament Systems is committed to working with only the very best innovative small companies in America,” said Rob Menti, Senior Manager Business Development at Northrop Grumman Armament Systems. “Pierce Aerospace’s Flight Portal ID technology is going to be one of the best of breed Remote ID protocols in the very near future.”

“This relationship is a great fit for advancing Flight Portal ID with much needed Remote ID and Combat ID capabilities across the C-UAS and UTM environments,” said Pierce. “Northrop Grumman has vast technical experience in developing open architectures and common operating pictures that provide capabilities to other industry parties, such as through the FAAD C2 product. We too operate with a mission objective of providing interoperation of Flight Portal ID across government and private sector UAS systems, including UTM, C-UAS, and UAS OEMs.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems supports global customers at the tactical edge to: enable missions on the front lines of national security; deter near peer and asymmetric threats; and deliver readiness through modernization and sustainment of aircraft, software and electronics systems.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems, in support of its internal goals and its domestic/international customs, is prepared to support this Mentor-Protégé initiative, and understands the criticality of transferring enabling knowledge & skills to strategic partners in the Small Business community. Defense Systems continues to grow and nurture relationships with strategic partners and creates new relationships where synergies are found to enable better use of resources and maintain cost effective operations. 

About Pierce Aerospace:

Pierce Aerospace is a niche Remote ID service provider focused on practical and robust integration of Remote ID services into the unmanned ecosystem. As an industry leader, Pierce Aerospace serves on the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team, ASTM F38 UAS Remote ID Committee, and the FAA’s Remote ID Cohort. Funds from the US Air Force and the State of Indiana have supported Pierce Aerospace’s Flight Portal ID suite of Remote ID technologies. Flight Portal ID was nominated as Indiana’s Innovation of the Year by Techpoint and was awarded first place in Remote ID technology by AUVSI’s Xcellence Awards. Pierce Aerospace is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, The Racing Capital of the World. www.pierceaerospace.net

About Northrop Grumman:

Northrop Grumman Corporation, which Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Defense Systems Sector, falls under, is a $33.8 billion global defense enterprise, with worldwide headquarters in Falls Church, VA. Northrop Grumman provides technologically advanced, innovative products, services, and solutions focused on Autonomous Systems, Cyber, Strike, Space, C4ISR, Logistics & Modernization. With approximately 90,000 employees and operations in all 50 states and 25 countries, Northrop Grumman serves U.S. and international military, government, and commercial customers.