TCOM Holdings Announces Acquisition of Aerostar

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The acquisition will Solidify TCOM Holdings’ Global Leadership Position in Persistent Surveillance Platforms and Leading-Edge Radar and Sensor Systems.

July 29, 2022—Columbia, Maryland, USA— TCOM Holdings, the parent of TCOM, LP, the global leader in elevated ISR Awareness Solutions, announced it acquired Aerostar International, Inc. from Raven Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI). Aerostar is a world leader in the design, manufacture, integration, and operation of persistent stratospheric platforms and radar systems with headquarters in Sioux Falls, SD. Aerostar will become an operating business unit under TCOM Holdings.

TCOM offers Multi-Domain Awareness solutions for Force Protection, Distant Warning and Targeting, Critical Infrastructure, and Maritime and Border Security missions. Its elevated ISR platforms are designed to collect information from multiple integrated sensors and provide situational awareness through integrated communications equipment. In this era of rapid technology development, maintaining security is an evolving mission with revolutionary threats to changing targets. TCOM’s Elevated Awareness Solutions are custom tailored to meet our customers’ needs for today and tomorrow.

The Aerostar stratospheric balloons provide critical advantages for a wide range of missions, bridging the capability gap between aircraft and satellites. In border security, maritime, and air surveillance applications, Aerostar radar systems provide sophisticated statistical detection, tracking, and classification, as well as multi-sensor correlation.

Ron Bendlin, President and Chief Executive Officer of TCOM, stated, “We are excited to welcome Aerostar to our growing portfolio of Aerospace and Defense holdings. Our ability to leverage TCOM’s proven elevated awareness solutions using tethered aerostats and Aerostar’s sophisticated sensors and stratospheric balloons will more broadly serve our DoD, DHS, and allied military customers.”

Jim Nelson, Aerostar’s President, added, “The strategic alignment between TCOM, LP and Aerostar will enhance our ability to innovate in aerospace and defense, drive growth in our target markets, and expand our global reach to connect, protect, and save lives.”

About TCOM, L.P.
TCOM, LP, a long-time global leader in lighter-than-air platforms, is proud to offer a full line of elevated awareness solutions. Combining custom selections of the world’s most advanced sensors, customer-specific communications, and intelligent user interfaces with a broad range of airborne platforms provides the end user with a cost-effective, unparalleled capability. For more information, visit www.TCOMLP.com.

About Aerostar
Aerostar is dedicated to connecting, protecting, and saving lives through its work as an aerospace and defense provider. Aerostar’s core product offerings include stratospheric platforms, radar, and perception sensors, technical services, and protective wear. From engineering services to mission planning and support, research and design, and the development of advanced technical products, Aerostar offers tailored turnkey solutions for a multitude of successful operations. Visit www.AEROSTAR.com for more information about Aerostar.

For Media Inquiries:

For TCOM LP
Mr. Gal Borenstein, The Borenstein Group, Inc.
Gal@Borensteingroup.com
703-385-8178 x70

For Aerostar
Anastasia Quanbeck
Business Manager
Aerostar
Anastasia.Quanbeck@ravenind.com
(605) 360-9863

TCOM will Display its Latest ISR Capabilities at the 2022 World Defense Show, Held in Saudi Arabia on March 6-9, 2022

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TCOM, L.P. is pleased to announce it will be displaying its latest ISR capabilities at the World Defense Show, being held in Saudi Arabia on March 6-9, 2022. Come and meet us at our booth (K-13) U.S. Pavillion.  Founded by Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Military Industries, World Defense Show is a fully integrated and future-focused defense event set to highlight the latest technological developments from across the globe. To schedule a meeting, please contact jenna.louder@tcomlp.com or stop by and meet our team. See registration info at https://registration.worlddefenseshow.com/rfg/publish/WDS22/simplereg.aspx 

TCOM, Global Leader in Elevated ISR Awareness Solutions, Lands $217.3 Million Contract in Support of Saudi Arabia’s Defense

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Columbia, Maryland. TCOM, LP, the global leader in elevated ISR Awareness Solutions, announced that it was awarded a $217.3 million contract from the U.S. Army to provide Saudi Arabia multiple tethered aerostat platforms intended to support military communications and force protection, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance activities. The new contract is completely funded with foreign military sales, according to the Department of Defense. As a result of this award and business growth, TCOM has announced its intention to add new hires in numerous engineering and manufacturing roles in both its Columbia, MD, and Elizabeth City, NC facilities.

TCOM’s persistent surveillance systems deliver a full range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), force protection, and communications capabilities to joint, interagency, and multinational organizations. The Saudi award comes on the heels of TCOM’s historic win of a five-year, $978.9 Million Prime Contract of the U.S. Army PSS-T Program, designed to support multisensory data collection, 360-degree monitoring, weather detection, communications, and force protection tasks during interagency, multinational and joint operations.

 

TCOM offers Multi-Domain C5ISR Awareness solutions for Critical Infrastructure Force Protection, Distant Warning and Targeting, and Maritime and Border Security. Its elevated awareness Lighter-Than-Air ISR platforms are designed to collect information from multiple sensors and interoperate with other aerial and unattended ground radars. In this era of rapid technology development, maintaining security is an evolving mission with revolutionary threats to changing targets.  TCOM Elevated Awareness Solutions are custom-tailored to meet our customer needs for today and tomorrow.

Designed to enhance customers’ effectiveness in today’s multi-domain operations, TCOM’s Lighter-Than-Air systems provide a persistent presence complementing and enhancing UAVs, Aircraft, and satellites. Capable of delivering 360-degree coverage for detection, surveillance, monitoring, and targeting on long-endurance missions exceeding 14 days, Lighter-Than-Air platforms create a unique ability to understand life patterns in areas of interest.

About TCOM, L.P.:

TCOM, LP, a long-time global leader in Lighter-Than-Air platforms, is proud to offer a full line of elevated awareness solutions.  Combining custom selections of the world’s most advanced sensors, customer-specific communications, and intelligent user interfaces with a broad range of airborne platforms provides the end-user with a cost-effective unparalleled capability. For more information, visit www.TCOMLP.com.

TCOM, Global Leader in Elevated Awareness, to Exhibit Innovative Missile Defense ISR Solutions at the MSPO International Defense Industry Exhibition in Kielce, Poland

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September 2, 2021–Columbia, Maryland. TCOM, LP, the global leader in elevated ISR Awareness Solutions, has announced it will exhibit its latest solutions for Critical Infrastructure Force Protection, Distant Warning & Targeting, and Maritime and Border Security. The MSPO conference will be held between September 7-10, 2021, in Kielce, Poland. TCOM, LP will exhibit at Booth E-52. MSPO’s International Defense Industry Exhibition is considered one of the globe’s most important defense industry events.

TCOM will specifically feature its strategic Lighter-Than-Air 71Meter and 74Meter Persistent Surveillance Aerostat Platforms to optimize Missile Defense programs for European governments. As the number of military threats continues to grow for long-distant scenarios, Governments have a critical need to possess the ability to sense far beyond an active conflict that is critical to national security.

Designed to enhance customers’ effectiveness in today’s multi-domain operations, TCOM’s Lighter-Than-Air systems provide a persistent presence complimenting and enhancing UAVs, Aircraft, and satellites. Capable of providing three hundred-sixty-degree coverage for detection, surveillance, monitoring, and targeting on long endurance missions exceeding 14 days, Lighter-Than-Air platforms create a unique ability to understand life patterns in areas of interest.

TCOM enables a true system-of-systems approach to meet its customers’ objectives effectively and efficiently. With 50 years of operational experience, TCOM can provide customers stand-alone Lighter-Than-Air systems, enhanced sensor packages and upgraded command and control for their current systems, or a complete C5ISR deployment with multiple platform types and communications networks.

About TCOM, L.P.:

TCOM, LP, a long-time global leader in Lighter-Than-Air platforms, is proud to offer a full line of elevated awareness solutions.  Combining custom selections of the world’s most advanced sensors, customer-specific communications, and intelligent user interfaces with a broad range of airborne platforms provides the end-user with a cost-effective unparalleled capability. For more information, visit www.TCOMLP.com.

International Border Security Report Features TCOM on Smarter Border Security Enabled by Persistent Airborne Surveillance Aerostats

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Border Security Report, a respected international defense publication, has published today a feature article  about how “Persistent Airborne Surveillance Aerostats enable smarter Border Security.” According to the article, increasing geopolitical tensions in global geo-conflict border security zones, from the South China Sea to the Iran-Saudi Arabia conflict and the Russia-Ukraine and former Eastern Europe NATO allies have made the need for reliable and cost-effective persistent airborne surveillance imperative for effective C5ISR’s doctrine for military and law enforcement decision-makers. As they seek to monitor, identify, and prepare to respond when a real or perceived threat becomes imminent to their strategic interests.

Most critically, effective persistent airborne surveillance must operate in multiple environments. Border security can mean protecting critical infrastructures, maritime ports, entire maritime areas against missiles, and in the air. Adding to that complexity is the presence of largely populated areas in multiple countries proximate to the conflict zone, making it challenging to select one tool or method to create a compelling operational ‘Common Operating Picture’ for defense and border security decision-makers.vRead more at https://border-security-report.com/smarter-border-security-enabled-by-persistent-airborne-surveillance-aerostats/

 

Border Security Report as a bi-monthly publication and the premier international border management industry magazine delivering agency and industry news and developments and more in-depth features and analysis to over 34,000 border agencies, agencies at the borders, and industry professionals, policymakers, and practitioners, worldwide. Read more at https://border-security-report.com/ 

TCOM Wins 2020 Platinum Award as Best Persistent Aerial Surveillance and Monitoring Solution at the Astors’ Homeland Security Awards Competition

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TCOM, LP, is pleased to announce today it has won the 2020 Platinum Award for Best Persistent Aerial Surveillance and Monitoring Solution in 2020 in the Astors’ Homeland Security Awards Competition, held by American Security Today magazine. According to the award committee, TCOM’s lighter-than-air Best Persistent Aerial Monitoring Aerostats are providing the U.S. Homeland Security and U.S. Army communities with the most cost-effective aerial persistent surveillance solutions with the promise of integration of new ISR sensors that can watch borders, maritime, and other scenarios efficiently and with cutting-edge innovation.

TCOM Mints Platinum as Best Persistent Aerial Monitoring Solution for Lighter Than Air Aerostats by American Security Today Astors Awards Homeland Security Awards 2020.

Persistent surveillance aerial aerostats remain in critical military demand, particularly at a tactical level as part of all of the above doctrines of Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR). For example, in late September 2019, the US Department of Defense awarded a $979 million contract to TCOM – to perform work on the Persistent Surveillance Systems – Tethered (PSS-T) program, a range of medium and large tactical aerostats that provide ISR, force protection and communications capabilities to a range of users. The PSS-T aerostat fleet provides a flexible and affordable capability comprising medium and large-size aerostats to provide persistent, integrated, networked, and multi-sensor information collection via long periods of operation altitude that maximizes lines of sight and field of regard on onboard systems. TCOM’s systems support requirements for Homeland Security on the U.S. southwestern border, as well as in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Horn of Africa, providing persistent surveillance, force protection, and ISR missions, as well as communications extensions. The platforms’ primary advantage is their ability to provide extended time on mission and at an advantageous cost, with aerostats providing great flexibility for operating multiple capabilities simultaneously. Of special notice, TCOM, LP was also recognized as the top solution for persistent surveillance ISR for homeland security in 2019, 2018, and 2017 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Programs.

 

 

 

TCOM Proud to Support Successful Partnership with U.S. Army’s Tobyhanna Global Surveillance Program

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The U.S. Army announced today that Tobyhanna Army Depot has been named the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Persistent Surveillance Systems – Tethered (PSS-T), a key piece of surveillance equipment used across the Department of Defense (DoD). According to the article, the workload will be executed through a public-private partnership (P3) with TCOM, LP of Maryland, and Product Director (PD) Aerostat, headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

According to the U.S. Army article, “The PSS-T enables Soldiers to gather constant intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data by using an aerostat – an enormous balloon that uses buoyant gas to hover at low altitudes. The balloon is tethered to a large trailer and is accompanied by a sheltered control room, which allows Soldiers to review and disseminate footage from the PSS-T’s electro-optical/infrared camera systems. PSS-T payloads are used to detect, identify, and track developing situations, improving situational awareness for Soldiers. Because the PSS-T is more efficient to operate than other ISR systems, it is in high demand by multiple DoD branches, including US Customs and Border Protection.”

Technicians conduct testing on top of the PSS-T trailer. (Photo Credit: Thomas Robbins)

The article further explains that the Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C5ISR systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, a dedicated workforce, and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post-production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales, and global field support to our joint warfighters.

About 4,000 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.

Source: https://www.army.mil/article/240353/tobyhanna_supports_global_surveillance_programs_through_partnership_with_industry

TCOM, L.P., Leader in Integrated ISR Solutions, Expands Global Footprint & Operations in the Middle East and Africa; Appoints Mustapha Ouchen as Director of International Business Development.

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Columbia, Maryland—May 28, 2020, TCOM, L.P., a global leader in persistent surveillance systems and ISR solutions, has announced a significant expansion of its global footprint and operations in the Middle East and Africa. To spearhead its growth, it has appointed Fortune 500-Veteran Mr. Mustapha Ouchen, as Director of International Business Development for the Middle East and Africa.

Mr. Ouchen is a highly accomplished international business development executive with over 20 years of experience in successfully architecting strategic growth for global Fortune 500 technology companies in the Middle East and Africa. He fluently speaks English, Arabic, and French, and holds an MBA from Lewis University and a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the Ecole Supererieure de Commerce in Marrakech.

Ouchen stated, “I am excited to join TCOM as it expands its global footprint in the Middle East and Africa to offer advanced C4ISR solutions that integrate innovative persistent lighter-than-air tethered surveillance platforms for mission-critical solutions for Air, Ground and Maritime Border Surveillance, Anti-Terrorism, Communications Intelligence, early-detection Missile defense, and other applications.”

Mr. Mustapha Ouchen can be reached at mustapha.ouchen@tcomlp.com or (410) 312-2534 or via his LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mustaphaouchen/

 

About TCOM

TCOM, L.P. is a global leader providing elevated solutions to enhance situational awareness. Since 1971, the company’s pioneering innovations have defined the persistent surveillance and Lighter-than-Air industries. By blending leading-edge technology, manufacturing, and field operation capabilities, TCOM has provided ISR systems for the United States and foreign governments. Headquartered in Columbia, MD, TCOM has a Manufacturing & Flight Test Facility near Elizabeth City, NC, and a satellite office in Aberdeen, MD.

TCOM, L.P., Global Leader in Integrated ISR Solutions, Unveils Refreshed Brand Identity with New Logo and Tagline

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Asserting Strategic Focus on Expanded ISR, High-Tech Manufacturing Capabilities, and Fast Growth

Columbia, Maryland—May 05, 2020, TCOM, L.P. announced a new brand identity today with its unveiling of a refreshed logo and tagline. Already a global leader in persistent lighter-than-air tethered surveillance platforms, the new brand identity represents its strategic growth and expansion initiatives, which are focused on enhancing situational awareness for its customers.

Ron Bendlin, TCOM’s President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Building on our long history of success, the rebranding initiative represents our vision to deliver enhanced capabilities and a deliberate movement up the value stream for TCOM. As a fast-growing company, we are continuing to broaden our core competencies to deliver cost-efficient lifecycle management and deploy highly skilled field services.”

Incorporating the company name, which is now prominently displayed in a modern font, the new logo features an iconic visual element and a tagline across the top. To represent the heritage of lighter-than-air aerostats, the visual element artistically retains the previous logo’s aerostat shape. Transmitting the vision for growth is the “Elevated Awareness” tagline that communicates the company’s plan to provide elevated sensor and communications solutions.

Matthew McNiel, TCOM’s Vice President of Business Development, elaborated, “While we will continue to provide state-of-the-art lighter-than-air platforms, we will now spend equal energy on integrating advanced payloads and modernizing ground control shelters. Coupled with highly effective and efficient sustainment activities, TCOM will ensure that our customers experience the best possible situational awareness throughout the life of their mission.”

McNeil added, “Leveraging TCOM’s 50-year history of a proven track record for delivering excellence, we decided it was time to introduce our fresh new look and feel that aligns with our recent global expansion in strategic capabilities, unprecedented growth, and continued innovation.”

TCOM’s new brand identity follows some major contract wins. With programs putting enhanced systems in the hands of the department of homeland security on the U.S. southern border, upgrading sensors on legacy systems performing long-range early warning and providing engineering, logistics, operations, and program management support for the U.S. Army’s Persistent Surveillance Systems – Tethered (PSS-T) Program, TCOM is primed to execute on its vision.

About TCOM

TCOM, L.P. is a global leader providing elevated solutions to enhance situational awareness. Since 1971, the company’s pioneering innovations have defined the persistent surveillance and Lighter-than-Air industries. By blending leading-edge technology, manufacturing, and field operation capabilities, TCOM has provided ISR systems for the United States and foreign governments. Headquartered in Columbia, MD, TCOM has a Manufacturing & Flight Test Facility near Elizabeth City, NC, and a satellite office in Aberdeen, MD.

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