Saab Defense and Security to add 50 jobs after winning $38.1 million Navy contract

DeWITT, N.Y. — Saab Defense and Security USA LLC said it plans to add 50 new jobs at its DeWitt site in the coming months after winning a $38.1 million contract to provide the U.S. Navy with an air-traffic control radar system for Navy vessels.

“We are thrilled to receive this order from the U.S. Navy and look forward to supporting them on yet another important program,” John Belanger, VP of communications at Saab Defense and Security, said in an email to BJNN.

The business, located at 5717 Enterprise Parkway in DeWitt, currently employs about 240 people after a banner year of hiring.

“We have seen significant growth over the past year, adding approximately 100 new employees to our Sensor Systems unit in the last 12 months,” Belanger said.

The Navy order as well as other new business Saab Defense and Security expects to win in the near future are leading to the expected 50 new hires, he added. The majority of those jobs will likely be engineering positions.

The order
Saab Defense and Security received the order from the U.S. Navy to provide the AN/SPN-50 (V)1 Shipboard Air Traffic Radar. The first award for the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the program includes the initial procurement of three radars over a four-year period, according to a company news release.

The radar will be deployed to the U.S. Navy’s Aircraft Carrier (CVN) and Amphibious Assault (LH) Class ships, replacing the currently deployed AN/SPN-43C Air Traffic Radar.

The SPN-50 system supports the deployment, sustainment, and operation of aircraft by providing aircraft position, radar signal, and weather data, the company said. Air-traffic controllers use the data for services like aircraft sequencing and separation, airspace identification and containment, safety alerts, traffic advisories, and landing guidance.

“The U.S. Navy is increasingly called upon to support missions involving manned and unmanned aviation operations. With the SPN-50, air traffic controllers can support joint coalition forces across the full range of military operations in all weather conditions,” Erik Smith, president and CEO of Saab Defense and Security USA, said in the release.

The U.S. Department of Defense in its contract announcement said 47 percent of the radar development engineering work will be done in Sweden, nearly 36 percent at the Saab Defense and Security plant in DeWitt, and 17 percent at a site in New Hampshire.

The Navy’s award includes fiscal 2016 research, development, test, and evaluation funds totaling $12.5 million, obligated at the time of the contract award, according to the Department of Defense contract announcement.

Saab acquired DeWitt–based Sensis Corp. in 2011 and split the corporation into two units — Saab Defense and Security on Enterprise Parkway and the Saab Sensis air-traffic management unit at 85 Collamer Crossing Pkwy.

“Saab Sensis … is also doing extremely well; both here in the U.S. as well as in the global market,” Belanger told BJNN. Saab Sensis currently employs about 225 people in DeWitt, he added.

“In all, this order to [Saab Defense and Security] and the resulting growth of our company is a great example of Saab’s long-term commitment to Syracuse and Central New York made with the original acquisition of Sensis in 2011,” Belanger concluded.

Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com