Exclusive: Deterrence and General Dynamics Team Up

Turns out even the primes want a factory of the future. This morning, automated manufacturing startup Deterrence announced in an exclusive release to Tectonic that they’re entering into a teaming agreement with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GDOTS). Deterrence will deploy software and AI-enabled capabilities for “facility optimization, intelligent automation, and factory integration” across GDOTS facilities, beginning with their plant in Mesquite, TX. That’s where the company produces the metal bodies for large-caliber ammunition—155mm artillery projectile bodies, in particular. “We’re building autonomous manufacturing systems that learn, adapt, and scale in real time,” Dhruva Rajendra, co-founder and CEO of Deterrence, said. “This partnership demonstrates how AI transforms production facilities into strategic assets that respond to demand at the speed required.” “Every day we’re operational at GDOTS facilities, we’re learning,” he added. “The best training data exists inside of prime facilities. That operational data becomes the foundation for rapid deployment at the next facility, and the next.” New kids on the block: Deterrence is just about as new-age defense tech as they come. The company was founded back in 2023 by Dhruva Rajendra (CEO), Brian Jones (COO), and Henry Olgers (Head of Manufacturing) to bring modern production techniques to one of the most old-school industries out there—energetics. Batten down the hatches: The company’s flagship software basically robotics, factory telemetry, optimization software, and AI-powered manufacturing controls to, like, make production better. Holding hands: With GDOTS, Deterrence will create a “repeatable model that layers intelligence and connectivity onto existing infrastructure to create production systems that improve continuously through software,” per a company spokesperson. “Together, we’re creating production infrastructure that’s a strategic asset, not just a factory,” Rajendra said. “That’s the kind of partnership that actually moves the needle on national security challenges.”