PacStar
| File:PacStarLogo.jpg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Networking equipment |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Portland, Oregon, United States |
Key people | Peggy Miller, Senior General Manager; Jeff Sinclair, VP Sales |
| Products | Ruggedized COTS-based networking hardware and network management software |
Number of employees | 130 |
| Website | www |
PacStar (officially Pacific Star Communications, Inc.), a division within Curtiss-Wright Corporation’s Defense Solutions segment, specializes in the design and production of tactical communications and IT infrastructure solutions from its Portland, Oregon headquarters.[1] Established in 2000 initially as a reseller of advanced networking hardware, PacStar transitioned to manufacturing proprietary communication systems starting in 2005.[2] The firm maintains multi-million dollar agreements with the U.S. military and provides ruggedized networking equipment to commercial markets.[1][3] In late 2020, Curtiss-Wright completed its acquisition of the company.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
History
At its inception, PacStar focused on reselling IT communications products to various U.S. military branches, emphasizing the cultivation of strong customer and vendor partnerships. By 2007, after securing $18.2 million in external investments, it collaborated with Cisco Systems, Inc. to develop ruggedized communication systems compliant with military standards for defense and emergency applications.[2]
The product portfolio expanded to include lightweight ruggedized systems built from certified commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components integrated with IQ-Core Software, which streamlines network management processes.[4] Bob Dunn assumed the role of CEO in July 2010.
In 2011, PacStar achieved its largest contract at that time—a $12.2 million deal to deliver 225 tactical communication units supporting U.S. forces operating in Afghanistan.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The following year, it secured the TacSat Nano contract to provide the Air Force with a compact multiband voice and messaging system.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
By 2013, the company was awarded a $9 million WIN-T Increment 1 contract to supply IQ-Core Software to the U.S. Army alongside an $8.4 million contract for Expeditionary Command and Control Suite kits destined for the Marine Corps.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name After four years as CEO, Bob Dunn stepped down.
October 2016 saw PacStar deliver 6,000 IQ-Core Software licenses for the WIN-T program, significantly enhancing network management capabilities.[4]Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name That year also marked a tripling of manufacturing output and recognition as “2016 Manufacturer of the Year” by the Portland Business Journal. The company anticipated $100 million in orders over the subsequent five years.[1] Additionally, PacStar partnered with Oceaneering to facilitate data transmission solutions within oil and gas sectors.[3]
In September 2017, PacStar secured a $10 million contract under the U.S. Marine Corps Networking-On-The-Move initiative for rugged communication systems.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Its modular 400-Series equipment is designed for tool-free installation in tactical vehicles or command centers.
The U.S. Army authorized full-rate production of PacStar’s Transportable Tactical Command Communications (T2C2) modules in January 2018.[5][6][7][8][9] In February 2018, PacStar launched the Tactical Fidelis Cybersecurity System aimed at securing communications in operational theaters. That same month, CEO Peggy Miller was honored with the Portland Business Journal’s Women of Influence award.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In May, PacStar received Technology Association of Oregon’s Company of the Year accolade for its growth achievements,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name followed by recognition as one of Oregon’s fastest-growing companies by the Portland Business Journal in June and inclusion on CRN’s Solution Provider 500 list.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name October 2018 brought a contract exceeding $20 million with the U.S. Army Security Forces Assistance Brigade along with the introduction of the Modular Data Center (MDC) tailored for edge computing within tactical networks.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Early 2019 marked award of contracts valued up to $348 million over five to seven years from both US Marine Corps System Command and U.S. Army Project Manager Tactical Network programs for wireless command post networking solutions.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name The Portland Business Journal again listed PacStar among Oregon’s fastest-growing private companies in June.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Its secure wireless command post solution earned Washington Technology’s Government Innovation Award that September.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Throughout 2019, CEO Peggy Miller garnered several leadership honors including the Gold Stevie Award for Executive of the Year – Business Products and the Athena Award recognizing outstanding leadership excellence.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In November, PacStar was granted a patent for its IQ-Core Crypto Manager encryption technologyCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and unveiled Enterprise CSfC Solutions—a suite delivering enterprise gateway services for classified networks leveraging COTS products.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
In early 2020, Miller was named Executive of the Year by the Portland Business Journal and received Technology Association of Oregon’s Sam Blackman Award acknowledging her strategic leadership propelling operational and financial success at PacStar.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Later that year in October, she earned the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for the Pacific Northwest region.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
On September 24, 2020, Curtiss-Wright announced plans to acquire PacStar for $400 million; this transaction was finalized on November 2, integrating PacStar into Curtiss-Wright’s defense business unit.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
See also
References
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