The National Armaments Consortium Welcomes 1000th Member with Addition of Equinox Innovative Systems

Veteran-Owned Drone Technology Company Joins the Nation's Leader in Armaments Technology Development for the DoD

SUMMERVILLE, S.C., Feb. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Armaments Consortium today announced the addition of Equinox Innovative Systems (EIS) as the organization's 1000th member company. EIS joins an unparalleled network of traditional and nontraditional defense contractors, academic institutions, and national research laboratories that collaborate with the Department of Defense to deliver breakthrough technologies to ensure U.S. warfighters have the decisive edge on the battlefield.

The National Armaments Consortium is the premier organization delivering armaments innovation to the United States Armed Forces. With 540 prototypes in development today, NAC members currently support modernization priorities for each of the U.S. Army Futures Command's Cross-Functional Teams. To date, NAC members have received 1,646 awards totaling $14.2 billion in funding, delivering unique prototype armament technologies to the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and the Navy. 

"We are proud to welcome Equinox Innovation Systems to the Nation's Armaments Consortium as our 1000th member," said NAC Executive Committee Chairman James Miller. "In an increasingly dangerous world, our mission to deliver cutting-edge armaments technologies for our warfighters is more important than ever. Agile small businesses like Equinox are the engine of innovation for the DoD.  We are pleased that Equinox has joined our organization and will support the mission of providing rapid armaments innovation to our warfighters.

"Equinox Innovative Systems was founded to help solve specific technology needs for our military and intelligence community," said EIS Founder and CEO Randy Morser. "Finding solutions to technology requirements in challenging environments is in our company's DNA. The NAC provides an ideal opportunity for us to continue to grow our business, engage new government customers, partner with other incredible organizations, and deliver the important technology capabilities that our warfighters need."

"This milestone is a testament to the success of our model of collaboration, bringing together our members and government partners to develop and deliver innovative armaments technologies," said NAC Executive Director Charlie Zisette. "I'm so proud that the NAC has truly become the nation's armaments consortium, and I look forward to continuing our essential work with the Department of Defense in delivering rapid and effective armaments innovation to our uniformed services."

Based in Columbia, MD, Equinox Innovative Systems is a veteran-owned small business founded in 2016 by former special operations and intelligence professionals to provide tethered drone technology solutions with military and commercial applications. 

EIS's patented technology enables forward-deployed military assets to outfit and utilize a lightweight, low-cost, and autonomous tethered drone with up to 30 pounds of easily interchangeable cameras, radios, sensors, and more for up to 30 days. Reaching altitudes of 400 feet, EIS drones enhance the users' range and signal strength while sharing real-time data via their tether. With integration onto robotic ground and maritime vehicles, the warfighter significantly extends their situational awareness without putting soldiers at risk.

Operating in forward-deployed and GPS-denied environments, U.S. warfighters use EIS tethered drones to establish radio communications, mesh networks, and visual and radio frequency surveillance, among other applications. Moreover, when coupled with free-flight drones, warfighters can use EIS' tethered drones to triangulate an adversary's location for a rapidly deployable geolocation and fire control system. In the commercial space, EIS technology is utilized to support emergency responders and protect critical infrastructure.

The NAC's 1,000+ members include 840 nontraditional defense contractors and 168 traditional contractors. By business types, there are 730 small businesses, 222 large businesses, 34 academic institutions, and 22 nonprofits that work with the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop armament technologies in support of our Nation's security. Sixty percent of all awards under the NAC's OTA programs are made to non-traditional industry partners. 

The National Armaments Consortium operates under several Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) with the DoD that encourage collaboration between the Government and member organizations. NAC members have access to three OTAs sponsored by government partners:

• The Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC): DOTC's mission, in partnership with the NAC, is to enhance our warfighter's lethality, survivability, and combat effectiveness by facilitating the industrial and academic research, development, and technology demonstrations needed to advance and expand our military technological superiority. 
• The Aviation and Missile Technology Consortium (AMTC): AMTC engages industry and academia to develop and mature guided missile technologies to develop and transition U.S. Army aviation and missile manufacturing technologies, and integrate advanced technologies, techniques, and processes into future effective weapon systems.
• The Naval Energetic Systems and Technologies Program (NEST): NEST is a collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) to address the most significant energetics-related challenges facing our nation.

About the National Armaments Consortium
The National Armaments Consortium (NAC) is the largest collaborative organization working with the DOD to develop armament technologies in support of our Nation's security. The NAC's focus: transitioning technology to the warfighter fast; promoting innovation; recruiting a community of world-class technologists; encouraging collaboration with government, industry, and academia; removing barriers; promoting nontraditional defense contractor contributions and participation; promoting and enabling the industrial base; supporting the nation's equities in RD&A, OTA, and future capabilities. For more information about NAC, please visit www.nacconsortium.org.

About Equinox Innovative Systems 
Equinox Innovative Systems is an industry leader in multi-rotor tethered and free-flying drone technology integration and innovation. The EIS core team offers unparalleled capabilities in the areas of RF engineering, electro-mechanical airframe integration, systems engineering, and CONOP development. EIS product offerings optimize the balance between flight time, power, bandwidth, and payload capacity to deliver consistently superior solutions. For more information about Equinox Innovative Systems, please visit www.equinoxinnovativesystems.com.

Contact: Dan Palumbo, [email protected], 301.875.2356

SOURCE National Armaments Consortium