UNIFY.C2 names Brandon Smith strategy chief

UNIFY.C2 appointed former RapidFlight executive and longtime NAVAIR engineer Brandon Smith as vice president of strategy on Sept. 2, 2026, to push its airspace awareness and counter-drone platform deeper into government markets. The move signals a sharper focus on Defense Department programs, open architecture integration and mission requirements across federal, state and local agencies.

Why it matters: - UNIFY.C2 is targeting defense and government customers that need faster ways to combine sensors, data and response tools into one operational picture. - Smith’s background in naval aviation, program leadership and aerospace strategy adds technical credibility as the company expands its counter-UAS and airspace security business. - The hire supports Spatial Persistent Software’s push into defense, federal, state and local markets.

What happened: - SPS ARS, LLC d/b/a Spatial Persistent Software named Brandon Smith vice president of strategy for UNIFY.C2 on Sept. 2, 2026. - Smith will guide strategy for expanding the platform across government markets. - His initial focus will be Department of Defense programs and partnerships tied to operational technology integration. - Smith will also work with customers to identify mission requirements that can shape product development.

The details: - Smith brings more than 15 years of experience in aerospace engineering, defense programs and corporate management. - He most recently served as interim CEO and managing director of RapidFlight, where he handled corporate strategy and business development. - Smith also supported RapidFlight’s transition after its 2025 acquisition by AEVEX Aerospace. - Before RapidFlight, Smith spent nearly 10 years at Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR. - At NAVAIR, Smith held engineering and program leadership roles supporting naval aviation programs. - His roles included chief engineer for the F/A-18A-D aircraft platform and airworthiness authority for that platform. - Smith worked on integrating active electronically scanned array radar and navigation technology for environments where GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable. - He also supported aircraft communications and weapons integration programs. - Smith holds a master’s degree in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Saint Louis University. - UNIFY.C2 is a sensor-agnostic command and control and common operating picture platform. - The platform connects the sensor layer to the decision layer and the response layer. - UNIFY.C2 integrates sensors, data sources and response capabilities into a unified operational environment. - The platform is designed to help organizations detect, assess, classify, share and respond to activity across low-altitude airspace. - UNIFY.C2 is built around interoperability and modular integration rather than a closed, single-vendor architecture. - Government users can combine radar, RF, EO/IR, acoustic, Remote ID and other sensor technologies while keeping a common operational picture. - The platform is designed to allow rapid integration of new capabilities as threats and technologies evolve.

Between the lines: - The hire suggests UNIFY.C2 wants a leader who can bridge engineering, operations and business development as the company competes for government programs. - Smith’s NAVAIR background fits a product that emphasizes interoperability, aviation integration and operational use rather than only sensor procurement. - The messaging around open architecture points to a broader market preference for systems that avoid vendor lock-in and can absorb new technologies quickly. - Jerry McGee, CEO of UNIFY.C2, said Smith brings the technical credibility, operational understanding and strategic leadership needed for the company’s next stage of growth. - McGee said Smith’s engineering background and aviation program experience will help align UNIFY.C2 with operational requirements and pursue programs that need an open command-and-control architecture. - Smith said the challenge is turning a complex collection of sensors, systems and data into actionable operational decisions. - Smith said the bigger opportunity is building the mission layer that helps operators understand airspace activity and coordinate response.

What's next: - Smith will begin by working on Defense Department programs and partnerships. - Spatial Persistent Software expects the appointment to support continued expansion across defense, federal, state and local government markets. - UNIFY.C2 is likely to lean harder into open, interoperable architectures as counter-UAS and airspace security requirements continue to evolve.

The bottom line: - UNIFY.C2 is betting that a veteran of naval aviation and defense strategy can help turn technical integration into a larger government business.