about
Built by Engineers Who've Done This Before.
Thirteen years ago, a small team of engineers set out to solve the problems other shops wouldn't touch. Here's where that's taken us.
DES was founded in 2013 by engineers and technicians who'd spent years working together through the MRAP program.
Fielding survivability and crew systems when the stakes were measured in lives, not deadlines. That experience is still how we think about every project: a successful build translates directly into a successful mission.

From day one, the goal was simple. Build a company where engineering and production live under the same roof, so good ideas don't die in a handoff between firms. We've carried every phase of a program's life cycle, from early R&D through full-rate production and long-term sustainment.

Today that small team has grown into a 40+ person engineering and production company, operating from a 53,000-square-foot cleared facility in the Charleston, South Carolina area. The roster has changed but, the bias toward action hasn't.
Work That Ships
2013
Founded
2023
New facility
2024
AS9100D Certified
53,000+
Sq. Ft. Facility
40+
Team Members
SDVOSBB
Certified
The 40+ person roster includes engineers across mechanical, electrical, and systems disciplines alongside master craftsmen who've spent careers on a shop floor. The same pairing that lets a design move from a CAD file to a cleared production line without leaving the building.
Certifications &
Credentials
AS9100D Certified
Aerospace quality management certification, achieved 2024.
SDVOSB & NDC
Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business and Nontraditional Defense Contractor status.
Cleared Facility
Cleared prototype and production facility supporting classified and unclassified programs.
Certified Welding
AWS D1.1 (steel), D1.2 (aluminum), and D1.6 (stainless steel); NIWC/Boeing-certified specialty welding.
Fifty engineers. One roof. Ready when you are.
Let's talk