Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Explained

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.
Former Name:Wireless Facilities Incorporated (1994–2007)
Type:Public
Predecessors:-->
Successors:-->
Hq Location City:San Diego, California
Hq Location Country:United States
Areas Served:-->
Products:Directed-energy weapons, electronics, unmanned aerial vehicles
Owners:-->
Num Employees:3,600
Num Employees Year:December 2022
Revenue: (2022)
Operating Income: (2022)
Net Income: (2022)
Assets: (2022)
Equity: (2022)
Footnotes:[1] [2]

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc, headquartered in San Diego, California,[3] is an American technology company with manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military electronics. Customers include the U.S. federal government, foreign governments, commercial enterprises and state and local government agencies. The company is divided into 6 divisions.

Some of Kratos' most recent products are part of a Pentagon effort to invest in businesses in Silicon Valley.[4]

History

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions was founded as Wireless Facilities Incorporated (WFI),[5] a company whose primary market was the building and support of the telecommunications infrastructure and networks. In 2004, the company primarily sold its services to the US Government, mostly 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:

In September 2007, the company's name was changed to Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.[8]

Merger with Integral Systems

On July 27, 2011, Integral Systems merged with Kratos.[9] Integral Systems provided services regarding the handling of data from space and terrestrial-based platforms into networks for military, government, and commercial satellite and aerospace customers.[10]

Integral Systems employed about 800 people in 14 locations, and had 6 subsidiaries:

In February 2019, Kratos purchased Florida Turbine Technologies.

Technical Directions Inc. (TDI)

On February 24, 2020, Kratos 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 endeavor to build a cheap anti-tank missile, which was since cancelled. It was selected by starting an engine using a leaf blower: TDI achieved ignition at 5% engine speed. TDI engines typically operate at and at altitudes of 20,000-30,000 ft; they run the fuel through the mechanical bearings to avoid oil lubrication.

ModelTDI-J45[17] TDI-J5[18] TDI-J7[19] TDI-J85[20]
Diameter
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)
Weight6.1 lb (3.5 kg)6.3 lb (3.5 kg)16 lb (7.2 kg)28 lb (12.7 kg)
Generator1.2 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.[21]

Products

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wireless Facilities, Inc. 2006 Form 10-K . 1 May 2022 . U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
  2. Web site: 23 February 2023 . Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K) . U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
  3. Web site: About Kratos - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions . kratosdefense.com.
  4. News: Gregg . Aaron . 2017-06-14 . The Pentagon is building robotic wingmen to fly alongside fighter planes . 2024-04-07 . Washington Post.
  5. Banas, Mike, WFI Announces Agreement to Sell U.S. Wireless Engineering Business, GlobeNewsWire, May 29, 2007
  6. 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
  7. Babbush, Rob. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Completes Merger with Digital Fusion, GlobeNewsWire, December 24, 2008
  8. Web site: Investor FAQs . 2023-07-29 . ir.kratosdefense.com.
  9. Web site: SEC 8K .
  10. Web site: Satellite Network Management & Carrier Monitoring Software - Kratos Communications . www.integ.com.
  11. Web site: Satellite Network Management & Carrier Monitoring Software - Kratos Communications . www.integ-europe.com.
  12. Web site: Lumistar – Lumistar . www.lumi-star.com.
  13. Web site: Newpoint Technologies, Inc. | Satellite Network (M&C;) Monitor and Control Systems . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080111134423/http://www.newpointtech.com/ . 2008-01-11 . 2008-01-18.
  14. Web site: 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.
  15. Web site: Avtec Products - RT Logic . www.avtec.com.
  16. Web site: Automatic Redirection - Test . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180725042033/http://www.cvginc.net/ . 2018-07-25 . 2011-11-10 . www.cvginc.net.
  17. Web site: TDI-J45 . Technical Directions Inc..
  18. Web site: TDI-J5 . Technical Directions Inc..
  19. Web site: TDI-J7 . Technical Directions Inc..
  20. Web site: TDI-J85 . Technical Directions Inc..
  21. News: Garrett Reim . 2 April 2020 . 'Low-cost is the technology': Kratos buys jet turbine maker behind AFRL Gray Wolf cruise missile . Flightglobal.
  22. Web site: Tingley . Brett . 2022-01-17 . Kratos Reveals Existence Of Secretive Demogorgon Unmanned Combat Aircraft Program (Updated) . 2024-04-08 . The War Zone . en.