Innovation from the middle tier is what keeps the US industrial base robust

The U.S. defense market understandably focuses on marquee programs for national defense; think bombers, subs, and satellites. The broader reality is that there’s a tremendous amount of capability delivered to the Defense Department through a middle tier of nimble, innovative companies that are pushing the ball forward to fill urgent needs. Elbit America is one of them, with roots on American soil going back more than 50 years. A stalwart contributor to the U.S. industrial base, the company is best known for systems like night vision devices, sonobuoys, helmet-mounted displays, and mission management systems. In fact, it is one of only two providers of night-vision devices to the U.S. Army and Marine Corps. Likewise, the U.S. Navy has only two suppliers of sonobuoys for underwater warfare – Elbit America being one of them. “When you examine the US industrial base and think about capabilities that make the difference, we’re proud of the fact that we deliver quite a few difference-making capabilities,” said Scott Baum, vice president for Growth & Strategy at Elbit America. For example, the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle – Binocular (ENVG-B) for the Army and Marine Corps is engineered and manufactured in Roanoke, Virginia. “Rural southern Virginia is where high-tech innovation is occurring,” said Baum. “A lot of people don’t realize that when the Army says ‘we own the night’ and that the night gives us decisive military advantage, that is delivered by Elbit America from places like Roanoke, Virginia.” Delivering on Army modernization Digging deeper into the essential role played by middle-tier defense suppliers, modernization prioritization lists released by the Army, Navy, and Air Force each illustrate the value that middle-tier suppliers bring. For example, two of the U.S. Army Future Command’s modernization programs expected to reach soldiers soonest are Elbit America programs: Command Post Integrated Infrastructure (CPI2) and the aforementioned ENVG-B, both of which are on schedule and cost and delivering today. A top priority for network modernization, CPI2 addresses the physical signatures, mobility, and standardization of command-post designs. It delivers Army expeditionary, intuitive, survivable shelters, in addition to dispersed command post communications, mobility, and EMI signature reduction for any mission environment. CPI2 is a PEO Command Control Communications-Tactical program that is replacing an old, modular tent system. ENVG-B is a dual-waveband helmet-mounted night-vision sensor that for the first time lets dismounted soldiers and Marines see through fog, dust, and smoke – not just in low-light conditions but during the day, as well. It also introduces a phosphorus tube that displays images on a white field instead of green, and offers wireless connectivity through intra-soldier wireless (ISW) communications, and augmented reality features. These programs recently received a B and A, respectively, from the National Defense Industrial Association demonstrating that in the top 34 Army programs Elbit America is delivering what and when the customer needs. Developing and delivering You can’t consider yourself a valued and trusted member of the U.S. industrial base by just developing new capabilities for warfighters. You have to deliver on them, too, and do so throughout the entire lifecycle of a product from design and development to manufacturing and sustainment. The word “surge” has become the rage today, understandable since American and European defense production lines had quietly atrophied in the years leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A lot of companies are just now trying to catch up, and while Elbit America didn’t foresee the war, it did see and act upon macro trends it saw that pointed to the need for more capacity and tactical vehicle industrial capability. The ribbon cutting by Elbit America on a 135,000-square-foot Ground Combat Vehicle Assembly and Integration Center of Excellence in Charleston, South Carolina is a clear demonstration to act. “From a strategic perspective, we started this facility pre-Ukraine,” said Baum, who noted that the new Charleston facility is also where CPI2 will be manufactured and supported. “We saw that the industrial base supporting the Army had atrophied in a few areas. Lessons continuing to come out of Ukraine continue to demonstrate that we need to fundamentally upgrade and modernize the industrial base supporting the Army and we did just that. “That said, what is the action on the industry side of the table? Elbit America is one of the few industry players that’s making investments to build the indirect fire industrial base to support the U.S. and its partners. While the Army continues to work toward defining the requirements and understanding the needs, we are not waiting. We are taking action now to help build that industrial base so that when they say ‘go’ we’re ready.” The middle tier also supports the Indo-Pacific. As mentioned earlier, Elbit America is one of two suppliers to the U.S. Navy of sonobuoys for underwater surveillance and anti-submarine warfare. On an annual basis, the company makes more than 200,000 sonobuoys of different types to support the Navy and its allies. The underwater battlespace across the Indo-Pacific is also expected to be an increasingly dynamic battlespace, requiring new and novel payloads to counter threats. In this area, Elbit America has multiple decades of experience in packaging payloads in small delivery modules so they can be deployed in that domain. Innovation doesn’t just occur in Silicon Valley Elbit America works for American warfighters and their teammates to deliver the next step-function change in technology, whether that’s bringing innovation to night vision and helmet-mounted displays, or bringing industrial capability and modernization to the artillery space. Innovation doesn’t just occur in Silicon Valley or in semiconductor fabs manufacturing microelectronics. For Elbit America and the U.S. warfighters that it supports, innovation also occurs in places like: Fort Worth, TX (Elbit America headquarters); Roanoke, VA (night vision); Charleston, SC (ground vehicles, howitzers, and CPI2); De Leon Springs, Florida (sonobuoys for undersea warfare); Merrimack, NH (detection, identification, targeting); and Talladega, AL. As one of the strongest and most capable middle-tier suppliers to the U.S. industrial base, the company will continue delivering unique Elbit America-only capability and technology to U.S. warfighters. This article concludes Elbit America’s seven-part, narrative Made in America Innovation series, which illustrates how Elbit America’s USA-manufactured products and American-based services enable customers to successfully accomplish their most demanding missions.