Ethan Thornton is the CEO and founder of Mach Industries, a next-generation defense technology and manufacturing company. Thornton founded Mach by using funds saved from a manufacturing business he started in high school, where he began to prototype weapons systems most relevant to the future of warfare. Thornton’s ultimate goal is to create decentralized strategic capabilities that guarantee the defense of freedom worldwide.
Q: What inspired you to establish Mach Industries, and how has your vision evolved since its founding?
A: I started Mach Industries with a passion for military defense and the transformative potential of unmanned systems. I decided to build something that could bring together the best engineers, manufacturers and investors to drive innovation in defense technology. In just two years, we’ve grown to a team of about 100 people, with multiple platforms in development.
Q: Decentralization is a key theme in your manufacturing and defense strategy. Can you elaborate on why that’s crucial for future warfare?
A: Warfare is changing rapidly, and centralized assets—whether they’re billion-dollar aircraft or massive factories—are becoming increasingly vulnerable. Advances in intelligence gathering, cyber warfare and long-range precision strikes make it harder to defend single, high-value targets. Our approach is to break these assets into many smaller, distributed systems. For example, instead of one $100 million aircraft, we focus on building multiple, highly capable $1 million assets. The same applies to manufacturing.
Q: What role does advanced manufacturing play in your ability to rapidly develop and deploy new platforms?
A: We prioritize flexible, scalable production methods that allow us to switch between platforms quickly based on operational needs. Our goal is to develop aircraft in weeks, not years, and that requires a deep investment in both engineering tooling and in-house component manufacturing. By vertically integrating avionics, propulsion, RF systems and other critical components, we can optimize performance while reducing reliance on external suppliers. This not only speeds up development but also enhances supply chain security, which is increasingly critical in modern warfare.
Q: What can you share about Mach Industries’ current unmanned platforms?
A: While I can’t discuss all of our projects due to customer sensitivity, I can talk about Viper, our vertical takeoff, turbojet-powered strike aircraft. It transitions into horizontal flight and can deliver a payload hundreds of miles downrange—all without requiring launch infrastructure or runways. This design enhances survivability and allows for rapid deployment in contested areas. We’re also working on multiple other air and stratospheric platforms, with the goal of building adaptable systems that can scale quickly to meet evolving battlefield requirements.
Q: What’s your long-term vision for unmanned warfare, and how do you see it evolving?
A: Warfare is shifting toward mass-producible, autonomous systems that can be deployed at scale. Our goal is to build a future where we can rapidly iterate and produce the systems needed to maintain a technological edge. Whether it’s offense or defense, we need to be prepared for a world where everything is contested and that means moving beyond legacy industrial models to a more agile, resilient approach.
