JHNA, CTSi, and EXPANSIA merge to form new aerospace and defense technology company
Key Highlights
Questions and Answers
Q: What companies are involved in the merger? A: John H. Northrop & Associates, Coherent Technical Services (CTSi), and EXPANSIA Group have merged to form a new national defense technology company under Falfurrias Management Partners.
Q: What capabilities does the new company provide? A: The combined organization focuses on digital engineering, full-spectrum modeling and simulation, artificial intelligence and human-machine teaming, modular open systems architecture, integrated digital environments, and advanced fabrication.
Q: Who are the primary customers? A: The company supports U.S. defense and national security customers, including the Department of Defense, DARPA, NASA, and the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Space Force, as well as select commercial partners.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - John H. Northrop & Associates, Coherent Technical Services, and EXPANSIA Group have merged to form a new national defense and aerospace technology company focused on supporting military operators and program offices through digital engineering, modeling and simulation, and advanced fabrication.
The merger establishes a new defense technology platform under Falfurrias Management Partners and will continue to support customers, including the U.S. Department of Defense, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and Space Force, as well as commercial partners.
The combined company provides end-to-end support across the acquisition and mission lifecycle, from research and development through sustainment and readiness. Its capabilities include artificial intelligence and human-machine teaming, modular open systems architecture, integrated digital environments, and additive manufacturing. Included in the merger is CTSi’s patented Mudbucket software and hardware system, which enables rapid, low-cost upgrades to aviation, ground, and naval platforms.
"By uniting deep mission understanding with differentiated technologies, we are positioned to address critical defense priorities such as autonomy, unmanned systems, platform modernization, and contested logistics," said Ian Northrop, who will lead the new platform company. "This merger strengthens our ability to deliver technology that directly supports the warfighter while aligning talent, culture, and mission focus across the organization."
New organization
The combined organization operates from defense hubs including Newport News, Va., Patuxent River, Md., Huntsville, Ala., Nashua, N.H., and San Diego, Calif. The company also operates a 100,000-square-foot prototyping and fabrication facility in Patuxent River supporting rapid prototyping, testing, manufacturing, and transition to operational use.
John H. Northrop & Associates supports U.S. defense and national security missions through engineering solutions focused on digital engineering, modular open systems architecture, model-based systems engineering, and platform security.
Coherent Technical Services is a product-focused defense company specializing in avionics and electronics integration, unmanned systems, aerial refueling, and positioning, navigation, and timing technologies, including its patented Mudbucket system.
EXPANSIA provides digital modernization and data-driven solutions for national security customers, supporting the development and sustainment of mission-critical defense platforms through integrated digital environments and continuous-delivery methods.
Falfurrias Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity firm focused on investments in government and business services, food manufacturing, and industrial technology. The firm is managed by Falfurrias Management Partners in Charlotte and was founded in 2006 by Hugh McColl Jr., Marc Oken, and Ed McMahan.