Electric propulsion and power management specialist ePropelled has appointed Harry Petrey as Director of Defense Affairs to lead the company’s strategic engagement across the national security and autonomous systems sectors.
The announcement was made during the Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, where Petrey joined members of ePropelled’s executive leadership team to engage with military leaders, government stakeholders, and industry partners on the future of autonomous defense technologies.
In his new role, Petrey will guide strategic efforts across sovereign manufacturing initiatives, advanced propulsion, power management, and next-generation defense platforms. He is also tasked with supporting the expansion of domestic manufacturing capabilities for government customers, helping establish resilient U.S. supply chains for critical propulsion technologies deployed across uncrewed aerial, ground, and maritime systems.
Nick Grewal, Chairman, CEO and Founder of ePropelled, said, “AUSA provides an important opportunity to engage directly with military leaders, industry partners and policymakers shaping the future of defense capability. Harry brings a rare combination of strategic leadership, technology expertise and deep understanding of the defense ecosystem. His experience across government, intelligence and digital transformation will be instrumental as we strengthen our support for customers seeking sovereign, high-performance propulsion and energy solutions for autonomous systems. His experience will also help support our efforts to expand U.S.-based manufacturing capability and strengthen the industrial capacity needed to meet future customer demand.”
Petrey brings more than 30 years of experience directing technological initiatives across defense, intelligence, industry, and academia. His previous government roles include serving as Policy Team Leader for the Department of War’s Chief Digital and AI Officer, Chief Data Officer for Navy Intelligence, Chief Data Officer for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the Department of State, and Special Advisor in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security. Most recently a Senior Solutions Expert at Mission Technologies, a division of HII, Petrey is a Navy veteran with active service in the Iraqi theater of operations and holds two master’s degrees and a baccalaureate degree from the National Defense University.
Harry Petrey, Director of Defense Affairs, commented, “The United States and her allies are at a pivotal moment, facing an urgent challenge to expand manufacturing capacity, accelerate innovation and field advanced capabilities at scale and speed. Events such as AUSA, Sea-Air-Space, and the Dept of Commerce’s Inaugural Drone Summit unite leaders and organizations together to drive this mission onward. ePropelled’s technological mastery aligns closely with these national security imperatives, supporting the next generation of autonomous and uncrewed systems. Onshoring manufacturing is finally getting the B12 shot it deserves, and I am excited to help turn that momentum into meaningful capability and capacity for America and her allies.”
The appointment comes amid escalating demand for autonomous platforms and resilient domestic production capacity across allied nations. As defense organizations prioritize secure industrial supply bases, ePropelled is scaling its manufacturing infrastructure and advancing its propulsion technologies to serve customers operating across defense, security, and commercial sectors.
