The newly established business unit in Birmingham will expand, according to plans announced today by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. of San Diego.
Kratos anticipates adding 76 jobs and investing around $8.6 million in its Birmingham facility over the following five years with the help of crucial enhancement programmes offered by the State of Alabama, Jefferson County, and the City of Birmingham.
In a $80 million asset acquisition in May, Kratos purchased the engineering business of Southern Research, a Birmingham-based company. As a result of the acquisition, Kratos Defense & Rocket Support Services (KDRSS) Division now includes Kratos SRE, an advanced concept group.
Currently, SRE has roughly 140 engineers, technicians, and programme support staff working for the national security needs of the Department of Defense, the space community, and other clients.
The expansion of cutting-edge technological capabilities in sectors especially relevant to hypersonics is a goal of the company’s overall strategy, which includes the Kratos SRE Birmingham growth plan. The new posts will include a mix of engineers, technicians, and support workers, with an average annual salary of $95,000.
“We appreciate the support that Kratos has received from the State of Alabama and the Birmingham local government,” said Dave Carter, president of KDRSS. “Training grants and other key incentives allow us to accelerate our capabilities expansion and enhance the already impressive workforce at Kratos SRE.
“The Birmingham advanced concepts business unit is a key enabler to expanding Kratos’ leadership in hypersonics and other technology areas.”
At the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow, which will take place outside of London, Kratos’ Birmingham advanced concepts business unit will unveil its expansion plans. On the first day of the prestigious trade show, company representatives met with the Alabama team at the “Made in Alabama” booth.
“Over many decades, the talented workforce in the Southern Research Engineering Division has made many important contributions to the nation’s space program and critical national defense programs,” said Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“I look forward to seeing the Birmingham Kratos SRE business unit continue their record of amazing accomplishments as Kratos makes investments in advanced concepts and expands their technical capabilities.”
To make sure that the nation’s industrial base is ready to handle the specific challenges related to space, hypersonics, missiles, propulsion systems, and more, Kratos plans to continue developing SRE’s market-leading expertise in testing and evaluating how advanced materials behave in extreme environments.
In addition, Kratos SRE focuses in other technological fields such as aerospace engineering, electromechanical system design, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) sensor development.
“Kratos is the perfect home for my engineering team. From hypersonics to ISR applications, Kratos brings tremendous synergies across all of our technical platforms,” said Michael Johns, former Southern Research Engineering Division vice president and now Kratos SRE senior vice president.
“We have long been the leader in understanding materials in extreme environments for applications, including hypersonics, but now as part of Kratos, we are able to support programs all the way through flight test and beyond, substantially increasing our total addressable market opportunity.”
Kratos’ expansion plans at the Birmingham plant were supported by local officials.
“As Birmingham and Jefferson County continues to expand its aerospace and defense industry footprint, we welcome Kratos and its plans for new jobs and investment,” Jefferson County Commissioner Steve Ammons said.
“Southern Research’s Engineering Division was a powerful leader in defense and strategic deterrence system development, and we will continue to support Kratos in its new and innovative solutions.”
The Birmingham Business Alliance, led by Emily Jerkins Hall, is appreciative of Kratos’ commitment to not just remaining in the city but also expanding there, she said.
“Our team enjoyed working with Southern Research and the project team to help Kratos establish and scale their operations here,” she said. “Their investment in our community will continue to make the Greater Birmingham Region an attractive destination for top engineering talent from around the globe.”