Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc, headquartered in San Diego, California,[3] is an American technology company specializing in directed-energy weapons, unmanned systems, satellite communications, cyber security/warfare, microwave electronics, missile defense, training and combat systems. Customers include the U.S. federal government, foreign governments, commercial enterprises and state and local government agencies. Kratos is organized into six major divisions: Defense and Rocket Support Services, Microwaves Electronics, Modular Systems, Public Safety and Security, Technology and Training, and Unmanned Systems.[4]

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.
FormerlyWireless Facilities Incorporated (1994–2007)
TypePublic company
Industry
Founded1994 (1994)
Founders
  • Massih Tayebi
  • Masood Tayebi
Headquarters
San Diego, California
,
United States
ProductsDirected-energy weapons, electronics, unmanned aerial vehicles
RevenueIncrease US$898 million (2022)
Decrease US$−2.6 million (2022)
Decrease US$−37 million (2022)
Total assetsDecrease US$1.55 billion (2022)
Total equityDecrease US$936 million (2022)
Number of employees
3,600 (December 2022)
Websitekratosdefense.com
Footnotes / references
[1][2]

Some of Kratos' newest products are part of a Pentagon effort to partner with innovators and incubate technology-focused businesses in Silicon Valley.[5]

Kratos has primarily an engineering and technically oriented work force of approximately 2,700 with a substantial number of the company's employees holding national security clearances. Virtually all of Kratos' work is performed on a military base, in a secure facility, or at a critical infrastructure location.[6]

History

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions was founded as Wireless Facilities Incorporated (WFI),[7] a company whose primary market was the building and support of the telecommunications infrastructure and networks. In 2004 the company's board of directors focused the company on providing professional services to the US Government, primarily the U.S. Department of Defense.

From 2004 to 2009, the company acquired several companies in the federal services business. Acquisitions included several small public safety firms and mid-sized professional services firms such as:

  • High Technology Solutions (HTS), a provider of communications systems engineering and operational network outsourcing.
  • JMA Associates (JMA)
  • Madison Research (MRD): Provides engineering and information technology services to government and commercial customers, and is divided into five functional areas: Logistics Support, International Programs, Technology Initiatives, Engineering Support Services, Target Operations and Support
  • Haverstick Consulting (Haverstick): Provides services to government agencies through engineering and program management, learning and transformation, government outsourcing, facilities operating and management, conference and event planning and technology "solutions"
  • SYS Technologies (SYS): Provides information technology products (dopplerVUE and NeuralStar) and services and wireless communication systems for the United States Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security and various industrial customers.[8]
  • Digital Fusion, Inc (DFI)[9]

In September 2007, the company name was officially changed to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.[10]

In late 2008, the KGS (Kratos Government Solutions) Segment was re-organized into four Divisions:

  1. Technology and Training Solutions (TTS): Specializes in the three areas integral to operational transformation, network operations, applications consulting, and learning & performance.
  2. Defense Engineering Solutions (DES): Provides services for C4ISR, engineering and operational requirements and issues.
  3. Weapons Systems Solutions (WSS): Provides logistics, engineering and target operations support, rocket program services, technology initiatives, advanced weapon research and engineering and foreign military sales
  4. Public Safety and Security (PSS): The second largest independent systems integrator in the United States of life safety, security and surveillance systems for government and commercial applications

Merger with Integral Systems

On July 27, 2011, Integral Systems merged with Kratos.[11] Integral Systems provides management, delivery and distribution of data and information from space and terrestrial-based platforms into networks for military, government and commercial satellite and aerospace customers.[12]

Integral Systems employs about 800 people in 14 locations, and has 6 subsidiaries which are:[11]

  • Integral Systems, Inc. (Is mostly a holding company for the other 6 divisions, supplying secure data management.)[12]
  • Integral Systems Europe (I.S.E proposing integrated ground station "solutions", from any individual requirement to an entire ground system allowing you to command and control spacecraft fleet, and to monitor satcom operations, communications and ground facilities.)[13]
  • Lumistar (Lumistar designs and manufactures board-level telemetry products for PCI, VME, cPCI, and ISA computer buses.)[14]
  • Newpoint Technologies (Newpoint Technologies, Inc. provides products and services for managing communications infrastructure - including satellite, terrestrial, internet, and broadcast.)[15]
  • RT Logic (RT Logic supplies signal processing systems for the space and aerospace communications industry.)[16]
  • SAT Corporation] (SAT Corporation bought CVG, Inc. and changed its name to SATCOM Solutions. Less than a year later Kratos bought Integral Systems, and changed SATCOM Solutions back to CVG, Inc.)[11][17]
  • CVG, Inc. (CVG provides satellite-based communication "solutions" to government and commercial markets. Its subsidiaries include Avtec Systems, Inc. and Sophia Wireless)[18]

In February 2019, Kratos purchased Florida Turbine Technologies to form the Kratos Turbine Technologies division.[19]

Technical Directions Inc. (TDI)

On February 24, 2020, The Kratos Unmanned Systems division bought small turbojet manufacturer Technical Directions Inc. (TDI), based in Detroit, Michigan. Their smallest TDI-J45 powered the AFRL LOCAAS program of Lockheed Martin, a late 1990s endeavour to build a cheap anti-tank missile which was cancelled since. It was selected by starting an engine using a leaf blower: while starting a turbine is usually difficult, TDI gets ignition at 5% engine speed. TDI engines typically operate at 200–534 kn (370–989 km/h) and at altitudes of 20,000-30,000 ft, they run the fuel through the mechanical bearings to avoid oil lubrication.[19]

Model TDI-J45[20] TDI-J5[21] TDI-J7[22] TDI-J85[23]
Diameter 4.50 in (114 mm) 5.73 in (146 mm) 7.08 in (180 mm) 8.81 in (224 mm)
Thrust (idle – max) 6-30 lbf (27-133 N) 7-55 lbf (31-245 N) 10-100 lbf (44-445 N) 20-200 lbf (88-890 N)
Airflow .70 lb/s (0.32 kg/s) 1.00 lb/s (0.45 kg/s) 2.00 lb/s (0.91 kg/s) 2.00 lb/s (0.91 kg/s)
Weight 6.1 lb (3.5 kg) 6.3 lb (3.5 kg) 16 lb (7.2 kg) 28 lb (12.7 kg)
Generator 1.2 kW

The TDI-J85 powers the US AFRL’s Gray Wolf, a low-cost cruise missile built by Northrop Grumman with a range of at least 250 nm (463 km). In March 2020, the Gray Wolf was tested with high altitude operation and multiple inflight engine starts. The Gray Wolf may be used in a networked swarm, like the AFRL Golden Horde initiative to be demonstrated in late 2020 with a modified Small Diameter Bomb I and a modified Miniature Air-Launched Decoy, coordinated against a simulated target in a fall 2021 demonstration.[19]

Products

Development contract

The US Army awarded Kratos a $29m contract in 2016 to support its directed-energy weapon systems. The company will commit to developing prototype technologies, components and subsystems to support the advancement and upgrade of the existing or new DE systems, according to army-technology.com. The prototype technologies to be developed include beam control, high energy lasers, adaptive optics, sensors, fire support and target tracking. Work is expected to be carried out at several Kratos facilities and government locations in Huntsville, Alabama.

See also

References
  1. "Wireless Facilities, Inc. 2006 Form 10-K". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  2. "Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 23 February 2023.
  3. "About Kratos - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions". kratosdefense.com.
  4. "Home - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions". kratosdefense.com. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2018-02-10.
  5. "The Pentagon is building robotic wingmen to fly alongside fighter planes". Washington Post.
  6. "About Kratos - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions". www.kratosdefense.com.
  7. Banas, Mike, WFI Announces Agreement to Sell U.S. Wireless Engineering Business Archived 2012-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, GlobeNewsWire, May 29, 2007
  8. Allen, Mike. Kratos Acquires SYS Technologies in $53 million deal: CEO says no competitive overlap between the two, San Diego Business Journal, March 3, 2008
  9. Babbush, Rob. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Completes Merger with Digital Fusion, GlobeNewsWire, December 24, 2008
  10. "Investor FAQs". ir.kratosdefense.com. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  11. "SEC 8K".
  12. "Satellite Network Management & Carrier Monitoring Software - Kratos Communications". www.integ.com.
  13. "Satellite Network Management & Carrier Monitoring Software - Kratos Communications". www.integ-europe.com.
  14. "Lumistar – Lumistar". www.lumi-star.com.
  15. "Newpoint Technologies, Inc. | Satellite Network (M&C;) Monitor and Control Systems". Archived from the original on 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
  16. "Kratos RT Logic solutions for space, satellite, launch systems, space situational awareness ssa, enterprise ground services EGS, protected comms, spectrum integrity, rf spectrum protection, rf spectrum management for range, engineering services - RT Logic". www.rtlogic.com.
  17. "Avtec Products - RT Logic". www.avtec.com.
  18. "Automatic Redirection - Test". www.cvginc.net. Archived from the original on 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
  19. Garrett Reim (2 April 2020). "'Low-cost is the technology': Kratos buys jet turbine maker behind AFRL Gray Wolf cruise missile". Flightglobal.
  20. "TDI-J45". Technical Directions Inc.
  21. "TDI-J5". Technical Directions Inc.
  22. "TDI-J7". Technical Directions Inc.
  23. "TDI-J85". Technical Directions Inc.
  24. Britt Tingley. (17 January 2022). "Kratos Reveals Existence Of Secretive Demogorgon Unmanned Combat Aircraft Program (Updated)". War Zone website Retrieved 4 March 2022.
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