Masthead Corporate Logo
Subscribe eNewsletter Magazines
Search  Advanced

The Mil & Aero Blog

Bookmark this Blog Subscribe to an RSS Feed of this Blog.
<< Home

Military electro-optics business appears steady


Tuesday, April 28, 2009



Posted by John McHale

Earlier this month at the SPIE Defense Security and Sensing conference and exhibition in Orlando, Fla., when I asked attendees and exhibitors there about the military market I got the same answers I received form those at military electronics and military avionics events -- business is steady or improving.

This event followed on the Obama administration's announcement that they plan to kill the U.S. Air Force F-22 and Airborne Laser programs -- both of which contain significant electro-optics investment.

One gentleman from L-3 Communications told me "Even if they cancel one weapons system there are others that will get more funding to pick up the slack."

Folks at Physical Optics Corp. and Sarnoff say business has never been better. Dilas officials from Tucson, Aria., say their military laser business continues to grow at strong rate.

It should be noted that many of the exhibitors there say their business is still mostly custom as opposed to off-the-shelf. The custom designs are typically more of a long-term investment from the customer as opposed to products ordered off-the-shelf out of a catalog.

Let's hope this steady growth for military avionics, electronics, and electro-optics technology continues to be isolated from the rest of the economy.

The technology investment is needed -- world events prove that every day.

Post a Comment

0 Comments:

<< Home


Welcome to the lighter side of Military & Aerospace Electronics. This is where our staff recount tales of the strange, the weird, and the otherwise offbeat. We could put news here, but we have the rest of our Website for that. Enjoy our scribblings, and feel free to add your own opinions. You might also get to know us in the process. Proceed at your own risk.

John Keller for MAE
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.


Courtney Howard for MAE Courtney E. Howard is senior editor of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine. She is responsible for writing news stories and feature articles for the print publication, as well as composing daily news for the magazine's Website and assembling the weekly electronic newsletter. Her features have appeared in such high-tech trade publications as Military & Aerospace Electronics, Computer Graphics World, Electronic Publishing, Small Times, and The Audio Amateur.


John McHale for MAE John McHale is executive editor of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, where he has been covering the defense Industry for more than dozen years. During that time he also led PennWell's launches of magazines and shows on homeland security and a defense publication and website in Europe. Mr. McHale has served as chairman of the Military & Aerospace Electronics Forum and its Advisory Council since 2004. He lives in Boston with his golf clubs.

Previous Posts

Archives
THE MAE WEBSITE AUTHORS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT AND ACCURACY OF THEIR BLOGS, INCLUDING ANY OPINIONS THEY EXPRESS, AND PENNWELL IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AND HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY FOR THE CONTENT, ITS ACCURACY, AND OPINIONS THAT MAY BE CONTAINED HEREIN. THE CONTENT ON THE MAE WEBSITE MAY BE DATED AND PENNWELL IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE UPDATES TO THE INFORMATION INCLUDED HEREIN.