Leonardo DRS
Leonardo DRS, formerly DRS Technologies, Inc., is a US-based defense contractor. Previously traded on the NYSE, the company was purchased by the Italian firm Finmeccanica (now Leonardo S.p.A.) in October 2008.
 | |
| Formerly | DRS Technologies, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Type | Subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A. |
| DRS | |
| Industry | Defense |
| Founded | 1968 |
| Founder | Leonard Newman and David Gross |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | William J. Lynn (Chairman & CEO) |
| Parent | Leonardo S.p.A. |
| Website | leonardodrs |
History
Diagnostic/Retrieval Systems, Inc (DRS) was founded in 1968 by Leonard Newman (whose son, Mark Newman, was the CEO until January 2012) and David Gross, two engineers working for Loral Corporation. The two were working on signal processing techniques for anti-submarine warfare. When Loral chose to pursue other technology, Newman and Gross founded DRS to continue their research, which ultimately led to development of the AN/SQR-17 passive submarine detection system, a product still used today.
DRS went public in 1981 and acquired its first company in 1984. By 1994, DRS set a goal to become a mid-tier defense contractor, defined by $500 million in sales – notwithstanding that DRS at the time had only $58M in sales. Six years later, at the turn of the century, DRS reached the $391 million sales level, and in 2004 surpassed the $1 billion sales mark.[1]
DRS was acquired by the Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica S.p.A. (now Leonardo S.p.A.) in 2008. In 2012, former United States Deputy Secretary of Defense, William J. Lynn III was appointed CEO of Finmeccanica North America DRS, replacing Mark Newman, who held the position since 1994.[2]
In June of 2022, Israel-based RADA Electronic Industries and Leonardo DRS announced an all-stock merger.[3]
Products
Advanced Trainer
- Leonardo DRS T-100 Integrated Training System
- M1000 Trailer, part of the Heavy Equipment Transport System
References
- DRS Connections, May 2007 Special Edition #12 (the company's internal newsletter)
- "50 Years | Leonardo DRS". www.leonardodrs.com. Retrieved 2022-07-02.
- "Leonardo DRS and RADA Agree to All-Stock Merger, Combining Top Defense Technology Companies into Leader in Advanced Sensing and Force Protection | Leonardo DRS". www.leonardodrs.com. Retrieved 2022-07-02.