The Columbia Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Defense contracting |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Martin Arase |
| Headquarters | Fairfax, Virginia , United States |
Area served | United States, international |
Key people | Martin Arase (President), General Al Gray, Jr. (Advisory board) |
| Products | Cyber acquisition, logistics coordination, C4SI systems, ship design, naval architecture, fabrication, human performance optimization, training programs, financial oversight, information technology solutions, Pluto Plus Unmanned Undersea Vehicles |
The Columbia Group is a U.S.-based defense contractor providing services to the federal government as well as domestic and global commercial sectors. The firm’s expertise encompasses cyber acquisition, logistics coordination, C4SI systems, ship design, naval architecture, fabrication, human performance optimization, training programs, financial oversight, and information technology solutions. Its main headquarters are located in Fairfax, Virginia, with additional offices situated in Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Quantico, Norfolk, Lawton (Oklahoma), and numerous support centers spread across more than 30 states, military installations, and international sites. The organization celebrated its 50th year of operation in 2017.
Established by Martin Arase in 1967 under the name Columbia Research Corporation (CRC), the company later merged with CPI—another entity founded by Arase in 1983—in 2005. On June 15, 2008, The Columbia Group took over the operations of AMSEC’s Rosenblatt Washington, DC Office (a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman), thereby creating the Rosenblatt Ship Design Division. The Rosenblatt designation traces back to M. Rosenblatt & Son, a naval engineering firm started by Lester Rosenblatt in 1947.
Leadership
Martin Arase holds the position of President at The Columbia Group. The advisory board features notable figures such as General Al Gray, Jr., former Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Divisions
The Columbia Group is organized into four primary divisions:
- Homeland Security — based in Washington, DC
- Marine Corps Programs — located in Quantico, Virginia
- Rosenblatt Ship Design Division — situated in Washington, DC
- Financial Management & IT Services — operating out of Alexandria, Virginia
Pluto Plus ROV
In 2009, The Columbia Group was awarded a $10.6 million firm fixed-price contract by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to deliver three Pluto Plus Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUVs) to the Egyptian Navy. This contract is part of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) initiative aimed at supporting the detection and neutralization of naval mines. The company holds exclusive manufacturing rights within the United States for the Pluto Plus system under a license from Milan-based defense firm GayRobot.