Island Defense operates in a joint venture with Island Exterior Fabricators under a mentor/protégé relationship. Located in Calverton, NY, Island benefits from a patriotic workforce having deep deep ties to U.S. defense. Island occupies buildings once used by Grumman Aerospace Corporation and many of our employees either previously worked for Grumman or are the children and grandchildren of former Grumman employees.

Grumman Aerospace Corporation, also known as Grumman, had a significant presence in Calverton, New York. Here's a brief history of Grumman's operations in Calverton. Grumman was founded in 1929 by Leroy Grumman and partners in Baldwin, New York. Initially known as Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, the company focused on building military aircraft. In the early 1940s, Grumman expanded its operations to meet the demands of World War II.

In 1954, Grumman acquired a former naval air station located in Calverton, New York. The site, known as the Calverton Naval Weapons Industrial Reserve Plant (NWIRP), was used for testing, evaluation, and storage of military aircraft and weapons systems. During the 1960s, Grumman's Calverton facility played a pivotal role in the development of the Lunar Module (LM), the spacecraft that enabled astronauts to land on the moon during NASA's Apollo program. The LM was tested and assembled at Calverton, making it a crucial site for the historic moon missions. Throughout its years of operation, Grumman utilized the Calverton facility for various aircraft testing, including flight testing and evaluation of new prototypes. In addition, Grumman's F-14 Tomcat fighter aircraft, which served as the primary air superiority fighter for the U.S. Navy, was produced at the company's facilities in Calverton. Grumman's presence in Calverton started to decline in the late 1980s. In 1994, the company closed its operations at the Calverton site as part of a consolidation effort.

After Grumman's departure, the Calverton site underwent a process of redevelopment. Today, it is known as the Enterprise Park at Calverton (EPCAL) and serves as an industrial and business park. The site has attracted various businesses and organizations, including manufacturing companies, research and development facilities, and aviation-related enterprises. While Grumman's physical presence is no longer in Calverton, the company's legacy and contributions to defense and the nation's space program are still remembered. Island takes pride in reestablishing the community’s ties to defense and is committed to increasing our nation’s defense industrial base.