Jane Edwards 
- Palladyne AI has appointed Sean Gainey to its defense advisory board
- Gainey led Army missile defense and counter-UAS efforts
- The 2026 Air and Space Summit will feature panel discussions about AI, commercial space relay and more
Palladyne AI has named Sean Gainey, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general, to its defense advisory board, adding a former military leader with experience in missile defense, counter-unmanned aircraft systems and homeland air defense.
As defense organizations advance missile defense, autonomous systems and space capabilities, industry and government leaders continue to focus on the technologies shaping future operations. The Potomac Officers Club will host the 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30, featuring panel discussions about commercial space relay, interoperable optical networks, artificial intelligence and machine learning, network modernization and more. Sign up now to join experts as they explore the future of air and space missions.
The company said Monday Gainey’s experience and expertise will help inform its engagement on counter-UAS, long-range precision fires and autonomous systems acquisition.
What Did Palladyne AI CEO Ben Wolff Say About Gainey’s Appointment?
Ben Wolff, president and CEO of Palladyne AI, said Gainey brings firsthand knowledge of how the Department of War evaluates, integrates and fields emerging capabilities.
“His experience will help us pressure-test our roadmap against real operational requirements, sharpen engagement with defense customers, and focus our software, systems, and manufacturing resources on the opportunities where Palladyne AI can move fastest and create the greatest mission impact,” Wolff added.
Who Is Sean Gainey?
Gainey most recently served as commanding general of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and commander of Joint Task Force-Gold, which serves as the operational command for the layered defense systems supporting Golden Dome.
He served as the founding director of the Joint Counter-UAS Office, where he helped develop the joint force’s doctrine for counter-drone operations.
According to Gainey, DOW is prioritizing capabilities that support layered defense, autonomous operations, integration with existing force structures and affordable effects at scale.
“The systems Palladyne AI is fielding today were built for exactly these environments. With SwarmOS, the IAI loitering munitions portfolio, and the AFRL HANGTIME contract, Palladyne AI is positioned to engage the Department’s most urgent acquisition priorities with proven technology that can be integrated quickly, produced domestically, fielded at scale, and delivered to warfighters faster,” he added.
What Is Palladyne AI?
Palladyne AI is a technology company focused on developing embodied AI, autonomous systems and collaborative autonomy capabilities for defense and industrial markets.
The company recently secured a pair of Army contracts to research, develop and validate SwarmOS and Gremlin-X capabilities with U.S. warfighters. In January, it received an Air Force Research Laboratory contract to further develop swarming capabilities for integrated cross-domain operations.
