AV delivers integrated defense technology solutions, that are innovative, ensure mission outcomes, and create strategic advantage across every domain of modern warfare.
Our Mission Inventing Advantage
Our Approach The Way We Work Wins Wars
At AV, we build shoulder-to-shoulder with our customers—working side-by-side to deliver systems shaped by real-world missions, not theoretical requirements. This deep, operational connection drives everything we do.
- Innovation isn’t a buzzword here—it’s a direct result of proximity. We stay close to the warfighter, listen intently, and invest boldly in internal R&D to solve problems others overlook.
- Agility is our response to urgency. Because we’re embedded in the mission, we can move fast, adapt quickly, and scale affordably - bringing battle-ready solutions to the field faster than traditional primes.
- Mission-first execution is our standard. We don’t build for show - we build for the fight. Every capability we deliver reflects the insight and intent of a team that understands what’s at stake.
Our Values
- People-first culture. We demonstrate integrity and ethical conduct in all our actions. We listen attentively, speak candidly and treat others respectfully. We work together as a team to win.
- Results + ownership. We act in the interest of all our stakeholders, beyond that of ourselves and our teams. We take ownership and are accountable for our outcomes.
- Innovate + simplify. We are originators: curious and relentless in the pursuit of new, innovative solutions and improvements. We look for new ideas everywhere and are committed to ensuring that the best ideas win.
- Dedication to customers. We strive to earn and keep our customers’ trust. We make a positive difference in our customers’ lives by understanding, anticipating and responding with agility to their needs.
- Evolve to dominate. We don’t copy or compete; we set the standard by continuously adapting to emerging threats, ensuring warfighters always have the upper hand.
Our systems perform where it matters most: on the battlefield. We scale what works, refine what doesn’t, and never stop improving.
MacCready Works is where we engineer the future - developing next-gen autonomy, AI, software, and strike technologies that keep AV at the forefront of defense innovation.
“AV is driven by a deep commitment to the warfighter’s mission and built on trusted relationships with our customers. That partnership inspires us to solve tomorrow’s battlefield challenges today—just as we did when we pioneered the small uncrewed aircraft systems and loitering munitions markets. These innovations have delivered proven advantages in combat and continue to shape the future of modern warfare.”
Our Team Leadership
Board of Directors
Wahid Nawabi
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Henry H. Albers
Independent Director
Charles Thomas Burbage
Independent Director
Admiral Phil S. Davidson
Independent Director
Cindy Lewis
Independent Director
Honorable Mary Beth Long
Independent Director
Edward R. Muller
Lead Independent Director
Stephen F. Page
Independent Director
General Joseph L. Votel
Independent Director
David C. Wodlinger
Independent Director
Our History 50+ Years of Disruptive Innovation
Built to Break Barriers. Proven on the Battlefield.
Founded by visionary aerospace engineer Dr. Paul MacCready Jr., AV has spent more than five decades redefining what’s possible when customer understanding and emerging technologies intersect.
From the groundbreaking Gossamer Condor, the world’s first human-powered airplane, to today’s Switchblade, telemax EVO, and Puma, AV has consistently delivered technologies that shape the future of national defense and human achievement.

1977 & 1979 – Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross, designed by Dr. Paul MacCready, win the Kremer Prizes, proving the potential of human-powered flight.

1986 – AV pioneers tactical uncrewed systems with the launch of Pointer, the first man-portable UAS for U.S. Department of Defense.

2001 – Helios holds the world record as the highest-flying airplane, operating at the edge of space.

Smithsonian Honors – Eight AV unmanned air vehicles are displayed in the Smithsonian Institute for groundbreaking contributions to aerospace.

AV becomes the leader in Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), winning 5 programs of record across the Department of Defense.

2022 – LOCUST becomes the first operationally fielded directed energy laser weapon system in the U.S. Department of Defense.

2022 – Switchblade loitering munitions are deployed in mass to Ukraine, rapidly gaining adoption across NATO.

2024 – AV expands its capabilities in advanced RF and phased array technologies through strategic initiatives, including the development of SCAR and Badger systems.
Today, AV continues to honor MacCready’s spirit of audacity and invention—pushing boundaries, delivering autonomy at scale, and shaping a new era of defense dominance.
Corporate Social Responsibility TRANSPARENT. ACCOUNTABLE. SUSTAINABLE.
At AV, we’re not just innovating—we’re doing it with purpose. We hire deliberately to build a workforce defined by capability, integrity, and commitment. We operate with discipline, upholding the highest standards of transparency, compliance, and ethical governance. And we build responsibly, prioritizing sustainability and the long-term health of the planet we all share.
We believe that how we work matters just as much as what we build—because leadership in defense technology demands both performance and principle.
Careers at AV Mission-Driven. Innovation-Led. Team-Built.
We’re not just building cutting-edge systems—we’re building the team that makes them possible. At AV, engineers, technologists, and defense veterans work side by side to solve the toughest problems in modern warfare.
We bring together world-class talent in autonomy, AI, robotics, precision strike, aerospace engineering, and secure networking—with teammates who’ve served on the front lines and understand what’s at stake.
This is a place for people who think boldly, build fearlessly, and take ownership from start to finish. If that sounds like you, you're in the right place.