EXPANSIA announced today that it, John H. Northrop & Associates (“JHNA”) and Coherent Technical Services (“CTSi”), are merging to form a new defense technology platform after their acquisition by Falfurrias Management Partners (“Falfurrias”). Aligned with EXPANSIA’s goal to ensure mission readiness within the Department of War (DOW), this newly combined organization likewise delivers mission-critical technology and engineering solutions – but within an expanded portfolio of clients to include the U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, NASA, Space Force, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
As the defense landscape increasingly demands rapid response and scalable solutions to address modern conflict, AJ Jarnagin, CEO and Founder of EXPANSIA, underscored the need for accelerated growth both within and beyond the organization. “We moved quickly on this merger because it strengthens our ability to ensure mission readiness for our clients with greater capability and scale,” said Jarnagin. “This new defense technology platform positions us to deliver even faster and better than ever before. Importantly, it also creates greater opportunity, stability, and ensures long-term career growth for our employees.”
Co-Founders Depart
AJ and Tynel Jarnagin, Co-Founder and Chief People Officer of EXPANSIA, are stepping away from the company in the spring to prepare to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Dr. Rick Nelson, Chief Financial Officer, will also be stepping away later this year, having dedicated 11 years to the company.
“The timing was right for our people, our purpose, and also because of AJ and I’s departure from EXPANSIA,” said Tynel Jarnagin. “We are so grateful to have had the privilege to launch EXPANSIA and are so indebted to the associates who have helped make this company what it has become over the last 12 years. We know this new defense technology platform is in good hands, and we can’t wait to see it perform with the purpose for which it is created to do.”
About The New Defense Technology Platform
The new defense technology platform delivers solution to defense customers across the full acquisition and mission lifecycle – from research and development to sustainment and readiness. Uniting complementary and patented technology solutions supporting integrated digital environments, artificial intelligence and human-machine teaming, modular open systems architecture, rapid prototyping, and both subtractive and additive manufacturing technology, the combined businesses help solve the most critical technical challenges for the next era of national security priorities.
“By uniting deep mission understanding with differentiated and advanced technologies, we are positioned to lead the evolution of critical defense priorities such as autonomy and unmanned systems, next-generation platform development and modernization, and contested logistics,” said Ian Northrop, current CEO of JHNA and newly appointed leader of the platform company. “This merger allows us to better support the warfighter with technology that matters, while at the same time signifies a strategic alignment of talent, culture, and mission focus across the consolidated employee base.”
The combined organization employs more than 525 professionals operating from key defense hubs including Newport News, VA., Patuxent River, MD., Huntsville, AL., Nashua, NH., and San Diego, CA. The company also operates a 100,000-square-foot advanced prototyping and fabrication facility in Patuxent River, MD., supporting rapid prototyping, testing, full rate manufacturing and transition to operational use.
Alongside CEO Ian Northrop, Falfurrias’ Marybeth Wootton, Joe Price and Grant Hundley will all join the Company board. This partnership represents the fifth platform investment within Falfurrias’ federal government services and technology investment campaign.
EXPANSIA was financially and legally advised by KippsDeSanto and Holland & Knight in this transaction.
About EXPANSIA, JHNA, CTSi, and Falfurrias
EXPANSIA empowers national security customers to deploy technology faster with data, people, and ecosystems. EXPANSIA’s digital modernization solutions and data strategies design, improve, and sustain the infrastructure of mission-critical defense platforms. Experts in continuous-delivery methods which drive digital adoption and advance mission priorities, EXPANSIA supports the development and deployment of integrated digital environments (IDEs). The company focuses on existing and next-generation defense platforms and support sustainment and readiness through integration of digital accelerators available on demand – and at scale – for customers across both platform and IT system lifecycles.
John H. Northrop & Associates (JHNA) supports U.S. defense and national security missions by delivering engineering solutions that enable faster modernization and sustained operational relevance. With recognized strength in digital engineering, modular open systems architecture, model-based systems engineering, and weapon systems and platform security, JHNA helps customers reduce risk, accelerate integration, and extend platform life.
Coherent Technical Services (CTSi) is a defense product-focused company committed to solving hard problems for national security customers. With core competencies in avionics and electronics integration, unmanned systems, aerial refueling, and positioning, navigation, and timing, the company builds and deploys novel technology such as CTSi’s patented Mudbucket®, which facilitates quick and inexpensive upgrades to aviation platforms.
Falfurrias Capital Partners is an operationally focused, middle market private equity fund focused on investing in high-growth companies in the government and business services, food manufacturing, and industrial technology sectors. The team is comprised of investors and proven operators, as well as in-house resources across strategy and market insights, finance and integration, human capital, and technology. The fund is managed by Falfurrias Management Partners, a Charlotte-based private equity firm founded in 2006 by Hugh McColl Jr., former chairman and CEO of Bank of America; Marc Oken, former CFO of Bank of America; and Managing Partner Ed McMahan. The firm has raised $3.6 billion across seven funds and invests in growing, middle-market businesses in sectors where the firm’s operational resources, relationships, and sector expertise can be employed to complement portfolio company executive teams in support of growth objectives.
