ITT-Gilfillan
| Company type | Private (originally), later division of ITT Corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronics, Radar technology |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Founder | Sennet Gilfillan, Jay Gilfillan |
| Fate | Acquired by ITT Corporation in 1964; divested in 2011; became part of Exelis Inc. |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Radar systems, Bakelite radios, automobile ignition components, aircraft components |
| Parent | ITT Corporation (from 1964 until divestiture in 2011) |
Gilfillan Brothers, later operating under the name ITT-Gilfillan, was a prominent American electronics firm headquartered in Los Angeles, specializing in radar technology. The company experienced multiple rebrandings and was at times identified as ITT Corporation Electronic Systems Radar Systems - Gilfillan or ITT Industries, Gilfillan Division. In 2011, ITT divested this unit, which became part of Exelis Inc.. Subsequently, Harris Corporation acquired Exelis in 2015, and in 2019 it was integrated into L3Harris Technologies.
History
The origins of the company trace back to 1912 when Sennet Gilfillan assumed control of his uncle’s smelting enterprise, initially focusing on processing precious metals such as platinum and iridium. Two years later, in 1914, his brother Jay joined the business, and together they manufactured platinum contact breaker points for automobile ignition systems during World War I, also expanding their production to include aircraft components. Entering the radio industry in the 1920s, the firm gained recognition for its Bakelite radios utilizing the Neutrodyne circuit design. With the rise of the superheterodyne receiver as the preferred technology, they acquired Willard Radio Company in 1932 to provide "superhet" radios.
Beginning in 1942 during World War II, Gilfillan secured contracts to produce precision approach radar (PAR) systems developed at the MIT Radiation Laboratory. These radar units were deployed at Royal Air Force airbases starting in 1944 and played a critical role in guiding bomber missions. By the conclusion of the war, they had introduced the first dedicated airport surveillance radar, significantly improving air traffic control around airports. This achievement cemented their commitment to advancing radar technologies.
Following the war, the company broadened its scope by developing new air traffic control (ATC) solutions and adopted the name Gilfillan Radar Development and Manufacturing Company. ITT acquired the firm in 1964. During the 1970s, it emerged as a leading American producer of medium-range radar equipment, manufacturing key products such as the ITT-Gilfillan S320 radar—which served as a basis for numerous US military radar systems—as well as ATC radars including the PAR-2000 and GCA-2000, the mobile MPN-26 PAR unit, and a range of airport surveillance radars.
External links
- Gilfillan Air Traffic Control product catalog