UNION and Firehawk Partner to Address America's Artillery Crisis With Software-Defined Manufacturing

Bridging Metal Parts and Energetics Manufacturing

UNION Technologies and Firehawk Aerospace have partnered to link software-defined manufacturing with advanced energetics and propulsion production, aimed at addressing persistent gaps in the domestic defense industrial base.

Under the framework, UNION's software-defined factory platform and forged metal parts capabilities would be integrated with Firehawk's manufacturing infrastructure for energetics and propulsion systems. The initial focus is the 155mm artillery ecosystem — a supply chain that has faced acute strain as Western governments race to replenish stockpiles and sustain elevated production rates.

Production is Deterrence

Production is Deterrence, said Garrett Unclebach, CEO of UNION. The United States must be able to produce at speed, at scale, and with full accountability. UNION builds software-defined, automated factories with traceability so the U.S. and our allies can rapidly surge critical production when required.

Our alignment with Firehawk brings complementary strengths together across metal parts and energetics to strengthen readiness and reduce friction in the pathways that matter.

Modernizing Decades-Old Manufacturing

UNION has built its platform around the modernization of forged metal part production, applying software-defined controls to manufacturing processes that have, in many cases, changed little in decades.

Meanwhile, Firehawk is developing high-throughput manufacturing capacity for advanced energetics with an explicit emphasis on repeatability, safety, and certification readiness — requirements that are non-negotiable in propulsion and explosives manufacturing, where process variability carries serious consequences.

Connected Manufacturing Approach

The collaboration is intended to bridge those two domains. Rather than treating component production and system integration as separate problems to be solved independently, the companies are working toward a connected manufacturing approach that spans from raw metal parts through to finished propulsion and energetics assemblies.

In practical terms, that means aligning interfaces, quality standards, and evaluation criteria across both organizations.