Legacy Meets Innovation: A Veterans Vision for Drone Defense

From an early age, Norm Balchunas was immersed in a legacy of military service. 

He grew up surrounded by family members – grandparents, uncles and cousins – who had served in various branches of the armed forces. This environment instilled in him a deep respect for service and a clear sense of purpose. 

Balchunas always knew he would join the military, and his childhood dream was to fly the iconic F-4 fighter jet, which he described as “the bad fighter” of his youth.

This dream would later lead him to the U.S. Air Force, where he became a navigator and aviator on the B-52 bomber platform – a role that shaped his understanding of legacy systems and the importance of evolving technology. 

From Active Duty to Defense Innovation, His Mission Has Never Changed 

Balchunas’ time in uniform gave him a firsthand understanding of the complexity and importance of sustaining and upgrading military technologies. As a B-52 aviator, he flew aircraft that were already 25 years old at the time – platforms that had long outlived their expected service life but continued to evolve through constant innovation.  

“The B-52 has now been flying for 60 years and is going to be flying for another 30 plus years,” he said, highlighting the history and future of the aircraft and people who are innovating and modernizing its systems.  

Throughout his military career, Balchunas witnessed the tireless work of service members and industry professionals who kept systems operational and relevant. That experience shaped his perspective and ignited a passion for national defense that would carry into his post-military career.  

“My whole life’s been in the military – either in uniform or supporting it,” he said. 

After retiring from active duty, he transitioned into leadership roles focused on electronic warfare and cybersecurity. He began as director of operations for an Electronic Warfare Trade Association, where he gained exposure to joint and international defense programs. Eventually, he joined Honeywell, where he now leads strategic campaigns in electronic warfare, cybersecurity and directed energy – fields that aligned with his operational expertise.  

“It’s always been about: How do we introduce a new capability?” he said.  

That focus – and his enduring relationships within the defense community – would prove instrumental in bringing Honeywell C-UAS to life

Why Honeywell C-UAS Matters for Warfighters, Civilians and the Future of Security  

When the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command faced a growing threat from swarm drones targeting high-value assets like nuclear convoys and missile sites, they needed a fast, flexible solution.  

Thanks in part to Balchunas’s longtime relationships within the nuclear defense community and his deep understanding of operational requirements, Honeywell was selected to lead the integration effort. Under his leadership, the team developed and deployed the first prototype in just four months – a remarkably fast turnaround for a defense system. 

Honeywell C-UAS is the company’s first fully integrated counter-UAS solution. It’s a modular, software-defined system designed to detect, track and neutralize unmanned aerial threats.  

“What sets Honeywell C-UAS apart is its adaptability,” he said. “It can be mounted on vehicles like heavy duty pick-up truck, deployed at fixed installations or integrated into naval vessels and drones.” 

The system combines radar, electro-optics, acoustic sensors, cyber tools and drone-kill-drone capabilities, all orchestrated through an open architecture that supports rapid updates and integration of new technologies. 

Balchunas played a central role not only in bringing this project to life but also in shaping its strategic direction. He championed its modular design and emphasized the importance of agility in countering what he calls a “crowd-sourced threat” – drones that are inexpensive, customizable and increasingly autonomous.  

Beyond the battlefield, it has significant implications for civilian security.

“Our primary objective is protection of critical assets,” he said. “I envision its use at airports, stadiums, universities and critical infrastructure sites – anywhere unauthorized drones could pose a threat.” 

The company is already exploring partnerships with federal agencies and commercial entities to expand the system’s reach, positioning the company as a trusted partner in both national defense and public safety. 

A New Era of Defense Innovation

For Balchunas, Honeywell C-UAS is more than a technical achievement – it’s a reflection of his lifelong mission to protect those who serve.

“I absolutely love seeing the opportunities that young engineers are getting to work on brand new capabilities,” he said. 

As threats evolve faster than defense systems can keep up, agility is essential. 

This shift is driving a new era of defense innovation: one defined by speed, adaptability and mission-driven engineering. 

Leaders like Balchunas are rising to today’s defense challenges by blending deep military experience with innovation. Honeywell’s legacy in hardware – engines, avionics, sensors – is now seamlessly integrated with advanced software and digital engineering, enabling rapid deployment and reprogrammable systems built for agility.