Nathan Diller Joins Mach Industries as President and Chief Strategy Officer

Veteran defense and national security leader to oversee strategy and operations as Mach Industries scales manufacturing

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mach Industries, a defense manufacturing company that develops advanced unmanned systems, today announced the appointment of Nathan Diller as President and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). In this role, Diller will lead company-wide strategy, growth initiatives, and external engagement as Mach Industries expands its manufacturing platform and deepens partnerships across the defense ecosystem.

Diller joins Mach following the company's $100M Series B financing last year. Backed by leading venture firms, including Sequoia, Bedrock Capital, and Khosla Ventures, Mach is scaling production in its 110,000-square-foot factory, has recently secured a production contract and continues to mature multiple research and development contracts. In parallel, the team is conducting flight tests of five different product lines.

"Nathan brings deep experience at the intersection of national security, manufacturing, and operational leadership." said Ethan Thornton, Founder and CEO of Mach Industries. "Having built and led organizations that move advanced defense technologies from concept to production, his leadership across flight operations, engineering, requirements, budgeting, and acquisition will be key as Mach scales manufacturing and delivers weapons with speed, discipline, and agility."

Prior to joining Mach, Nathan served at Divergent as its first Chief Strategy Officer and later as Chief Executive Officer of the company's aerospace and defense subsidiary. Divergent is an advanced manufacturing company providing digital design, additive manufacturing, and automated assembly of air, land, sea, and space structures.

"Mach has assembled an exceptional team that combines top commercial engineering and manufacturing talent with deep national security expertise. The company is rapidly designing war-winning weapons and, more importantly, building and operating flexible factories needed to produce and replenish them at scale," said Diller. During his Senate Armed Services Testimony in January of last year, he stated, "the factory is the weapon."

Diller previously served on the staff of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, overseeing a $42 billion annual research, development, and procurement portfolio. As a Professional Staff Member, he helped shape defense innovation policy designed to improve capital flexibility, transparency, and the adoption of commercial technologies to support long-term military advantage.

Complementing his civilian service, retired United States Air Force Colonel Diller spent more than two decades in the United States Air Force, including as the Director of AFWERX overseeing the strategy and execution of a $1 billion annual advanced technology budget for the Air Force and Space Force. During his 22 years in uniform, Nathan served as the Director of Aeronautics in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and commanded a flight test squadron. He was assigned to DARPA, the Joint Staff J-8, the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the Strategic Capabilities Office, the Space and Missile Center, and multiple fighter and flight test squadrons. Nathan is a member of the acquisition corps, a test pilot, and a fighter pilot with over 2,900 hours in more than 60 aircraft. He is an alumnus of the Air Force Academy and French Test Pilot School, with graduate degrees in engineering, government, and strategy from MIT, Harvard University, National Defense University, and France's ISAE-SUPAERO.

The appointment reflects Mach Industries' continued focus on building the leadership and strategic foundation required to scale advanced manufacturing and support U.S. and allied defense priorities over the long term.

ABOUT MACH INDUSTRIES
Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a defense manufacturing company headquartered in Huntington Beach, California. The company develops advanced unmanned systems and the manufacturing infrastructure to scale their production. By vertically integrating weapons, propulsion, and manufacturing, Mach delivers the speed, adaptability, and resilience required to preserve military advantage.

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SOURCE Mach Industries