Boeing

The Boeing Company today announced that it is in negotiations to acquire SVS, Inc., of Albuquerque, N.M., a high technology company with nationally-recognized expertise in the electro-optical arena. The announcement was made by Mike Skolnick, vice president and general manager of the Laser & Electro Optical Systems (LEOS) unit of The Boeing Company.

"Boeing has made a major investment in the directed-energy marketplace, with its lead role in Airborne Laser, Space Based Laser and its development work in the laser and beam control technologies," Skolnick said. "SVS would bring critical and specialized capabilities to the company, not only in directed energy, but also in a wide range of electro-optical controls and image processing applications for both the defense and commercial markets."

SVS, Inc. was founded in 1993 and specializes in electro-optical systems and image processing solutions for aerospace, defense and commercial customers. The company currently provides precision acquisition, tracking, pointing and imaging products, and system engineering on major Department of Defense directed-energy programs including Airborne Laser, Space Based Laser and remote sensing applications.

SVS, Inc. has 115 employees at its headquarters in Albuquerque and at other locations throughout the country. In addition to its work on the laser defense programs, SVS makes imaging products such as GeoTrak for satellite imaging and the Passive Obstacle Detection System (PODS) for aircraft obstacle avoidance. In March, NASA selected SVS to lead a team to define design options for NASA's Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) mission to identify Earth-like planets around other stars.

"Joining the Boeing team would be a great opportunity for SVS's talented, multi-disciplinary staff of engineers, scientists and researchers," according to Dr. Robert Van Allen, president and CEO of SVS, Inc. "We are especially excited about the opportunities that would come with becoming a part of Boeing -- a company we know well from our long association with them in directed-energy and other programs. We believe that a joint team would not only increase the value we bring to our customers, but that it would also stimulate the growth of the high technology base of New Mexico."

The LEOS unit of the Boeing Space & Communications Group combines its work on major Defense Department weapons programs such as Airborne Laser and Space Based Laser with its leading edge directed-energy research and development for major advanced laser applications and a range of electro-optical innovations. LEOS has developed high-resolution real time compensated imaging solutions as well as electro-optical remote sensing capabilities. These are the basis of several ongoing and proposed programs for the Department of Defense.

The addition of SVS would also increase the Boeing team's presence in New Mexico in a significant way. SVS is a recognized leader in developing Albuquerque and New Mexico as a center for advanced technology electro-optics solutions for defense and commercial use. SVS has received numerous awards that highlight its role as one of the fastest growing technology companies in New Mexico and the U.S., including honors in Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and New Mexico Technology Flying 40.

"Boeing recognizes that New Mexico is quickly becoming the center of excellence for developing the technologies needed to field the next generation of laser and electro-optical systems," said Skolnick. "It is an area rich in talent and vision that will help define the future of our industry. We intend to build on the significant commitment that SVS has already made to technical excellence and the New Mexico community."