Defense Engineering for Mission Critical R&D
At Root3 Labs, we’ve been supporting defense and government clients since 2014, developing mission-critical hardware that performs reliably in the most demanding environments. Our engineering team has helped US ARMY, DHS, and NSF clients transform their innovative concepts into field-tested prototypes through our proven approach that combines mechanical, electrical, and software expertise. With our extensive in-house prototyping capabilities, we deliver solutions that meet stringent deadlines and perform under pressure.
When it comes to modifications to existing products, the Root3 Labs team gets to work fast! They understand that when something in the field isn’t working right, waiting to fix it just isn’t an option for the end customer. Where they excel is coming up with unique pathways to achieve that desired end result that are logistically feasible, cost effective and that work! We’ve had electrical, mechanical, software engineering requests of Root3 Labs over the years and their team’s backgrounds are diverse enough to handle all of these different scopes. I would have no hesitation in recommending Root3 Labs to any of my colleagues for their design needs.
Some projects stay CLASSIFIED.
While most of our defense work cannot be published, we try to share examples of commercial projects to demonstrate our ability to produce practical solutions quickly.
From Concept to Deployment: Our Defense R&D Advantage
Prototyping & Testing
- Custom design, fabrication, and documentation tailored to your unique specifications
- Benchtop & field testing with evaluation under simulated operational conditions
- Environmental performance verification against MIL-STD requirements
- Quick-turn iterations to meet tight deadlines
Systems Integration
- Ruggedization of OTS and custom components for military applications
- Size, weight, and power (SWaP) optimization
- System compatibility and integration with existing platforms and components
- Signature management
Compliance & Documentation
- ITAR-registered and NIST 800-171 compliant processes
- Comprehensive design history files for program reviews
- Testing protocols that meet defense standards
- Documentation supporting certification requirements
Defense Innovation in Action
Military Personnel Tracker: Reliable Positioning When GPS Fails
We partnered with TRX Systems to engineer and manufacture their NEON Indoor Location Service device – a military-grade personnel tracker that provides critical positioning data where GPS may be unavailable. Our team designed a rugged wearable enclosure that protects sensitive electronics while meeting extreme durability requirements. We worked hard to ensure the device would be waterproof, heat-resistant, and capable of supporting the weight of a fully-equipped soldier or firefighter – around 400lbs!
Using our in-house prototyping workshop, we rapidly developed and tested multiple iterations with multi-material Polyjet techniques to simulate production-grade overmolded buttons and gaskets. This approach allowed us to quickly validate the design under realistic conditions before transitioning to injection molding for higher volume manufacturing. The result is a field-proven tracking solution that enhances personnel safety in GPS-denied environments for military, police, and firefighting applications.
Advanced Prototyping for Defense Engineering Applications
Our 7,500sf prototyping facility in Owings Mills, MD features specialized equipment for developing and testing defense-grade hardware:
- Environmental testing chambers for simulating operational conditions
- Electronics testing and validation equipment
- Precision machining capabilities for custom components
- Secure development environment for sensitive projects
Our protoyping workshop accelerates the development process, allowing us to quickly design, fabricate, and refine components in-house rather than waiting for outside vendors. This gives us ability to solve unique challenges and meet tight program deadlines.
Certifications & Credentials
- ITAR Registration
- NIST 800-171 Compliant
- Maryland Professional Engineering Firm
Did you know the State of Maryland (and almost all other US States) requires anyone providing engineering consulting services to be a licensed Professional Engineer and the company to be a registered Professional Engineering Firm? What is a Professional Engineer, and what do the acronyms behind our names mean?
Get Personalized Advice Now
Talk with one of our engineers about your project to see if we can help. Whether you’re still exploring the problem or you have design requirements, budgetary expectations, and hard deadlines, let’s have a conversation to understand your project and what “success” looks like.
This is a no-obligation introductory call, not a hard-sell. If we’re not the best engineering partner to help right now, we’ll let you know.
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