Mike Benitez Appointed CEO
TEXAS (January 5, 2026) – Purple Rhombus today announced the appointment of Mike Benitez as Chief Executive Officer. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Air Force, and the defense industry, Benitez brings a unique blend of three decades of operational expertise and product leadership to the company.
Benitez held a series of operational and technology-focused positions across the Department of Defense. His background includes combat aviation, advanced capability integration, strategy, and leading emerging defense systems from concept through fielding.
“We’ve seen how unmanned systems can bring affordable mass to the battlefield, but we are entering a time when the mandate is radically affordable, industrial-scale mass, and fielding at unprecedented speed. I’m excited to lead a company built for that mission.”
Benitez joins Purple Rhombus from Shield AI, where he led product development and business development portfolios, forging strategic partnerships and advancing autonomous aviation capabilities across multiple U.S. government programs.
About Purple Rhombus
Purple Rhombus is an aerospace and defense company focused on industrial-scale affordable mass for the modern battlespace. Purple Rhombus designs, builds, and delivers low-cost unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) engineered for mass production, using tool-path-verified sheet-metal processes that leverage existing factory infrastructure and industrial base capacity.
MEDIA CONTACT
info@purple-rhombus.com
www.purple-rhombus.com