Griffon Aerospace
Griffon Aerospace is a privately held, AS9100-certified U.S. defense contractor that designs, manufactures, and flies Group 2 and Group 3 unmanned aerial systems and aerial target vehicles for the U.S. military, allied nations, and select commercial customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Griffon Aerospace does
Griffon Aerospace is a privately held U.S. defense contractor founded in 1995 and headquartered in Madison, Alabama, that designs, manufactures, and operates unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial target vehicles for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied customers. The company holds ISO9001:2015 and AS9100D certifications and operates from a vertically integrated facility with stated capacity of more than 100 aircraft per month, having built over 10,000 airframes since inception.
The company's product portfolio spans Group 2 and Group 3 UAS. Core platforms include the Valiant Group 3 expeditionary VTOL, the Outlaw G2E (ISR/R&D) and Outlaw G2 / MQM-170C (aerial target), the RedWing VTOL and RedWing / MQM-186 (small UAS and target), the Arrowhead UAS / MQM-172 (delta-wing one-way attack and aerial target), and the Broadsword / MQM-171A large target. Supporting offerings include ground support equipment, engineering services, composite and precision manufacturing, and worldwide flight operations for live-fire training and weapon system evaluation.
Griffon generates revenue primarily through prime and subcontract awards from U.S. DoD agencies — particularly the U.S. Army — across named programs including FTUAS, Drone Dominance, MQM-170C/-171A/-172/-186 target production, Launched Effects, and AFRL Gray Wolf testing. Recent major awards include a $67.9 million Outlaw Gen 3 ISR drone contract from the U.S. Army and selection for the Army's Launched Effects Product Office alongside AEVEX Aerospace and Dragoon. The company also acts as subcontractor to defense primes such as Lockheed Martin, with a smaller commercial and university research channel, and serves allied nations for target and UAS sales.
Griffon Aerospace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Griffon Aerospace
- Legal name
- Griffon Aerospace
- Website
- https://griffonaerospace.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Griffon Aerospace is a privately held, AS9100-certified U.S. defense contractor that designs, manufactures, and flies Group 2 and Group 3 unmanned aerial systems and aerial target vehicles for the U.S. military, allied nations, and select commercial customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Griffon Aerospace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Defense Unmanned Aerial Systems
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft (3721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms (IMABAIAC), Tactical & Strategic Missile Systems (IMABAHAB)
Keywords
Where Griffon Aerospace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Griffon Aerospace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Defense Government Contracts: Prime and subcontract awards from U.S. DoD for ISR drones, aerial targets, and launched effects systems. Major recent contract includes $67.9M for Outlaw Gen 3 systems from U.S. Army.
- UAS Product Sales: Direct sales of unmanned aerial vehicles including Valiant, Outlaw G2E, RedWing VTOL, and Arrowhead UAS to military and commercial customers.
- Aerial Target Systems: Sales of target drones including Outlaw G2 (MQM-170C), RedWing (MQM-186), Broadsword (MQM-171A), and Arrowhead Aerial Target (MQM-172) for military training and testing.
- Manufacturing Services: Vertically integrated manufacturing services including composite manufacturing, precision machining, electrical harness, metal fabrication, systems integration, and rapid prototyping. Production capacity of 100+ aircraft per month.
- Flight Services: Live fire training for weapon systems, testing for cutting-edge technology, weapon system evaluation, development, and training operations worldwide.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Griffon Aerospace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Griffon Aerospace designs, manufactures, and operates unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial target vehicles primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations. Its product portfolio includes the Valiant Group 3 expeditionary VTOL UAS, the Outlaw ISR/target series, RedWing VTOL, Arrowhead one-way attack system, and Broadsword heavy target drone, supported by in-house flight, engineering, and vertically integrated manufacturing services.
Product overview
Griffon Aerospace is a defense contractor specializing in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial target vehicles. The company's portfolio includes the Valiant (Group 3 tactical VTOL UAS), Outlaw G2E and G2 (MQM-170C) for ISR and target missions, RedWing VTOL and standard RedWing (MQM-186) for smaller operations, Arrowhead UAS (one-way attack system) and Arrowhead Aerial Target (MQM-172), Broadsword (MQM-171A) as its largest target vehicle, and the Lionheart legacy aircraft. The company also offers Ground Support Equipment and services including Flight Operations, Engineering, and Manufacturing. These products serve the US DoD, allied nations, and commercial customers for ISR, training, testing, and payload development missions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Valiant Versatile Group 3 expeditionary vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tactical UAS with strategic-level performance in a unit-level asset, designed for ISR, multi-domain operations, modular payloads, and contested logistics.
- Outlaw G2E Trusted, reliable, and cost-effective open and customizable UAS platform for ISR missions, subsystem testing, and R&D with 180 lbs. MGTOW and 6+ hours endurance.
- RedWing VTOL All-electric VTOL vehicle with four motors for vertical takeoff/landing and one motor for forward flight, designed for ease of operation and training with minimal launch/recovery infrastructure.
- Arrowhead UAS Distinctive delta-wing one-way attack system based on the MQM-172 platform, designed to deliver effects against designated targets with payloads up to 100 lbs., launched pneumatically, via RATO, or from truck-mounted systems.
- Outlaw G2 (MQM-170C) Low-cost, reliable aerial target vehicle with enhanced visual signature and increased hit area, or inexpensive payload development platform offering 8+ hour endurance and 40-60 lbs. useful load.
- RedWing (MQM-186) Reliable and cost-effective Group 2 UAV designed for ISR missions, systems testing, R&D, and payload development with 6+ hour endurance and 12 lbs. payload capacity.
- Broadsword (MQM-171A) Largest and most robust aerial target vehicle with 550-lbs. gross takeoff weight, designed as a testbed for new technology with large payload capacity.
- Arrowhead Aerial Target (MQM-172) Distinctive delta-wing aerial target system designed to provide realistic threat profiles for military training and testing operations with rugged belly-landing recovery.
- Lionheart Vintage-inspired six-place kit aircraft recreation of the 1930s-era Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing using modern production techniques, powered by a 450-hp Pratt & Whitney radial engine.
- Ground Support Equipment Ground support equipment including launchers, ground stations, and scoring systems to ensure UAV and aerial target operations run smoothly.
- Flight Services World-class operations team providing support for weapon system evaluation, development, training, live fire training, and complex flight operations worldwide.
- Engineering Services Custom, modular engineering approach providing design, analysis, testing, advanced composites, avionics and payload integration, and systems engineering.
- Manufacturing Services Vertically-integrated manufacturing including composite manufacturing, precision machining, electrical harness, metal fabrication, systems integration, and rapid prototyping with capacity to produce over 100 aircraft per month.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 10,000 vehicles designed, built, and flown since 1995
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Griffon Aerospace
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Griffon Aerospace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Griffon Aerospace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AEVEX AerospacecorePartnering with AEVEX and Dragoon under the Army's Launched Effects Product Office to develop and deliver advanced launched effects systems by 2026. The initiative uses a Modular Open Systems Approach to enable rapid technological upgrades and build resilient kill chains for U.S. forces.
- DragooncorePartnering with AEVEX and Griffon under the Army's Launched Effects Product Office to develop and deliver advanced launched effects systems by 2026 using Modular Open Systems Approach.
- HEKA (HEKA Aero)coreHEKA and Griffon Aerospace collaborated on the Valiant Tiltrotor program to develop advanced simulation, autonomy, and safety technologies for next-generation aircraft. The partnership involves integrating Griffon's Valiant aircraft into HEKA's Digital Twin simulation environment, focusing on reliability, safety, and digital validation.
- Parry LabscoreParry Labs successfully flew their Edge Compute Micro (EC Micro) with MOSA software operating environment (Stratia) on Griffon's Valiant platform. EC Micro provides processing power, precision time, over 200 discrete signals, atomic scale clock for synchronization, and advanced GPUs for AI applications on Group 2, 3, and 4 vehicles at the edge.
- Lockheed MartincoreGriffon's Outlaw unmanned aerial systems supported Lockheed Martin's successful laser weapon system testing. The 30-kilowatt class ATHENA laser system successfully brought down five Outlaw UAS at White Sands Missile Range, validating lethality models for future laser weapon development.
- Perry Johnson RegistrarsminorCertification body providing ISO9001:2015 and AS9100D quality management system registrations for Griffon Aerospace.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Griffon Aerospace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AeroVironment: AeroVironment is the leading U.S. small-UAS prime (Switchblade loitering munitions, Puma, Raven), directly competing with Griffon in tactical ISR drones and one-way attack systems for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.
- AEVEX Aerospace: AEVEX is a co-developer with Griffon on the Army Launched Effects program and competes in the same launched-effects / loitering-munition space for DoD tactical programs.
- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions: Kratos manufactures high-performance target drones (BQM-167, MQM-178 Firejet) and tactical UAS directly competing with Griffon's Outlaw/Broadsword/Arrowhead aerial target business for DoD training and test ranges.
- Dragoon Technology Solutions: Dragoon is a co-developer alongside Griffon and AEVEX under the Army Launched Effects Product Office, building tactical launched-effects systems directly comparable to Griffon's Arrowhead program.
Emerging players
- Anduril Industries: Anduril develops autonomous air vehicles (Roadrunner, Bolt) and Lattice software for DoD, increasingly competing with small UAS primes like Griffon for tactical and launched-effects programs.
- Shield AI: Shield AI builds autonomous VTOL tactical UAS (V-BAT) and AI-pilot software targeting DoD and SOCOM ISR and launched-effects use cases that overlap with Griffon's Valiant and RedWing portfolios.
- Skydio: Skydio is a leading small-UAS manufacturer with growing DoD business (short-range reconnaissance), competing with Griffon's smaller platforms like RedWing in tactical ISR and R&D use cases.
Broad incumbents
- Lockheed Martin: Lockheed Martin is a top-tier defense prime that has used Griffon's Outlaw as a target in laser weapon testing and is a strategic partner/competitor across DoD UAS and effects programs.
- General Atomics Aeronautical Systems: General Atomics builds the MQ-9 Reaper and is a major DoD UAS prime; while larger and at a different weight class, it competes for adjacent Army and SOCOM UAS budget pools that Griffon targets.
- Textron Systems: Textron produces the Aerosonde small UAS and is a broader defense prime competing with Griffon in tactical ISR and aerial targets, with deeper resources and a broader portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Griffon Aerospace social profiles
Digital presenceGriffon Aerospace compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Griffon Aerospace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Griffon Aerospace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Griffon Aerospace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Griffon Aerospace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Griffon Aerospace
What does Griffon Aerospace do?
Griffon Aerospace designs, manufactures, and operates unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and aerial target vehicles primarily for the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations. Its product portfolio includes the Valiant Group 3 expeditionary VTOL UAS, the Outlaw ISR/target series, RedWing VTOL, Arrowhead one-way attack system, and Broadsword heavy target drone, supported by in-house flight, engineering, and vertically integrated manufacturing services.
Is Griffon Aerospace a public or private company?
Griffon Aerospace is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Griffon Aerospace founded?
Griffon Aerospace was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Griffon Aerospace based?
Griffon Aerospace is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does Griffon Aerospace make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Defense Government Contracts are the primary driver. The others are UAS Product Sales, aerial Target Systems, manufacturing Services and flight Services.
Who are Griffon Aerospace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AeroVironment, AEVEX Aerospace, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Dragoon Technology Solutions. Emerging players are Anduril Industries, Shield AI and Skydio. Broad incumbents are Lockheed Martin, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and Textron Systems.
Does Griffon Aerospace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Griffon Aerospace.
What industry is Griffon Aerospace in?
Griffon Aerospace's product category is Defense Unmanned Aerial Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAMAC, Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms, with a secondary code of IMABAIAC, VTOL & Hybrid UAV Platforms. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.