Stellant Systems
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense, Electronics |
| Founded | October 2021 |
| Founder | Arlington Capital Partners (via acquisition) |
| Headquarters | Torrance, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Traveling-wave tubes (TWTs), traveling-wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), microwave power modules (MPMs), electronic power conditioners (EPCs), xenon ion propulsion systems (XIPS) |
| Owner | Arlington Capital Partners |
| Parent | Arlington Capital Partners |
Stellant Systems Inc. manufactures microwave components designed for ground, airborne, and satellite communications as well as radar applications. Established in October 2021, Stellant emerged following the acquisition of L3Harris Technologies' Electron Devices and Narda Microwave-West divisions by Arlington Capital Partners, a private equity firm based in Washington D.C. The company's heritage stems from the former Electron Devices Division (EDD) of Hughes Aircraft Company's Industrial Electronics Group and Litton Industries' Electron Division, both of which were eventually integrated into L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. In 2019, L-3 merged with Harris Corporation to form L3Harris Technologies before divesting these divisions to Arlington in 2021.
Stellant's product lineup includes traveling-wave tubes (TWTs), traveling-wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs), microwave power modules (MPMs), electronic power conditioners (EPCs), and xenon ion propulsion systems (XIPS). Since its foundation, the EDD has manufactured tens of thousands of TWTs and remains the sole U.S. producer of space-qualified TWTs and TWTAs.
Litton Industries
The origins of Litton Industries date back to 1932 when Charlie Litton founded his enterprise in Redwood City, California. By 1945, the company employed approximately 60 individuals and concentrated heavily on producing vacuum tubes. By 1948, its operations were roughly balanced between manufacturing equipment and vacuum tubes. Following successful contracts for magnetrons such as the 4J52, Litton became a significant rival to Raytheon and enjoyed substantial profitability. In 1953, Charlie Litton sold the business to Electro Dynamics Corporation, which subsequently adopted the Litton Industries name. The original division was renamed Litton Industries, Electron Tube Division and experienced rapid growth through acquisitions including Sylvania's Williamsport facility in 1965 and MA-COM Tube Operations in 1975. In 1993, it further expanded by acquiring Raytheon's Microwave Power Tube Operations. Throughout the 1990s, Litton advanced tube technology and became a primary supplier of airborne radar tubes for Hughes EDD. Northrop Grumman acquired the company in 2001, renaming it Litton Electron Devices. A year later, it was sold to L-3 Communications and rebranded as L-3 Electron Devices.
Hughes Microwave Tube Division
In the early 1950s, Hughes Aircraft secured a military contract to develop radar systems for the XF-108 interceptor. Although the program was canceled following the Korean War, founder Howard Hughes persisted in funding its development internally. By 1959, the Hughes Microwave Tube Division, based in Culver City, California, specialized in traveling wave tubes (TWTs) for airborne radar applications and secured the radar contract for the F-14 fighter jet. Expansion prompted a move in 1967 to Torrance where it operated as the Electron Dynamics Division (EDD) under Hughes’ Industrial Electronics Group.
General Motors acquired Hughes Aircraft in 1985. In 2000, Boeing purchased GM’s satellite operations including EDD and renamed it Boeing Satellite Systems, Electron Dynamic Devices. In 2005, Boeing sold EDD to L-3 Communications; since L-3 already owned a related subsidiary, it was renamed L-3 Communications, Electron Technologies, Inc., or ETI. The Torrance facility was sold in 2006 to RREEF America REIT III Corporation.
Narda Microwave-West
Established in 1953 in Mineola, New York as Nassau Research & Development Associates, Narda initially focused on RF and microwave technologies. The founders included engineers Bill Bourke, Jim McFarland, Stu Casper, alongside businessman John McGregor. The company adopted the name The Narda Corp in 1954 and later became The Narda Microwave Corp in 1957. In 1975, Narda expanded by acquiring Anacom, Inc., which led to the creation of its Pacific Operations, later referred to as Narda West. The firm was purchased by Loral Corporation in 1983, which itself was acquired by Lockheed in 1994. Following a spin-off from Lockheed Martin in 1997, Narda was integrated into L3 Communications, which eventually rebranded as L3 Technologies.
L3 Electron Devices (L3 Technologies and L3Harris Technologies)
Before their consolidation in 2017, L3 Electron Devices and L3 Electron Technologies functioned as separate entities under the L3 umbrella. After merging, they operated collectively as L3 Electron Devices. Meanwhile, Narda East and West remained part of L3 Technologies; Narda Microwaves-East combined with MITEQ—an acquisition made by L3 in 2015—to establish Narda-MITEQ. In 2019, the merger between L3 Technologies and Harris Corporation resulted in the formation of L3Harris Technologies, broadening their reach and product offerings within the aerospace and defense sectors.
Stellant Systems Inc.
Stellant Systems Inc. came into existence in October 2021 following the divestiture by L3Harris Technologies of its Electron Devices and Narda Microwave-West segments to the private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners. This transaction unified these divisions into what is now Stellant Systems, operating as a subsidiary under Arlington Capital Partners. The company functions autonomously with leadership drawn from both former divisions and maintains operations across three locations: Torrance, California; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and Folsom, California. This strategic restructuring enables Stellant to concentrate on its primary defense and electronics product lines while capitalizing on its established expertise and market position.