Swift Engineering is a full-service innovation house that designs and manufactures vehicles, systems, components and solutions for clients like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky and NASA.
In this spotlight, Swift Engineering President Hamed Khalkhali talks to us about their latest success stories and the synergies of HAPS membership for his organization.
Connect with Hamed Khalkhali on LinkedIn >
Please introduce yourself and your company.
Swift Engineering (a Hiro Matsushita corporation) was founded in 1983 and is focused on defense and aerospace. Our engineering and manufacturing teams are based in our 60,000 sq.ft. facility in San Clemente, California. We have produced components and materials for UAS, jets, helicopters, the NASA X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST), and the Echo Voyager autonomous undersea vehicles — and of course, HAPS.
One of the platforms that we have been working on lately is called the Swift Ultra Long Endurance (SULE) airplane, designed to fly in the stratospheric environment. It supports 24 hour flight, and features a 72 ft. wingspan and 15 lb. payload capacity. The project is supported by NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which funds the development and commercialization of technologies that align with NASA’s missions. On July 26, 2025, our latest flight recorded an altitude of 67,000 feet — that was a proud moment for us.
Why did you decide to become a member of the HAPS Alliance?
The HAPS Alliance gives us a platform to share our progress and to benefit from the experience of other members. It also helps clarify the commercial priorities for this domain, allowing us to keep our R&D focused on what is actually needed in the short and long term.
What expertise does your company bring to the Alliance?
Swift Engineering offers over four decades of aerospace and defense expertise, including extensive experience developing manned and unmanned systems. Our portfolio spans multiple UAV platforms, and we’re known for rapid prototyping, advanced R&D, and precision manufacturing. Our R&D team are world-class problem solvers, and we can take projects from idea to market. One of our superpowers is that we excel at creating incredibly lightweight yet strong complex composites.
Why is the HAPS Alliance different and why is it needed now?
I really appreciate how the HAPS Alliance brings together like-minded innovators who share a common goal, even if we have different perspectives. We’re all working toward advancing a technology that can serve many purposes — and ultimately improve people’s lives in meaningful ways.
What HAPS Alliance efforts are you most excited about?
I’m most excited about the Alliance’s fostering of a true flight culture in the HAPS community. This is a mindset that treats high-altitude platforms with the same rigor, safety awareness, and operational discipline found in traditional aviation. Growing this culture is what will allow HAPS to move from innovation to sustainable, real-world service.