Noblis acquires McKean Defense

Noblis VP Glenn Hickok will serve as president of new subsidiary

Published May 3, 2021 by Richard Foster

Reston-based not-for-profit federal contractor Noblis announced Monday that it has acquired Philadelphia-based McKean Defense and its affiliates, Mikros Systems and Cabrillo Technologies.

The amount of the acquisition was not disclosed.

Formerly an employee-owned defense contractor specializing in surface ship readiness for the U.S. Navy, McKean Defense is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Noblis. Glenn Hickok, vice president of Noblis’ Defense Mission Area, will take on the additional title of president of the McKean subsidiary. McKean CEO Joseph Carlini stepped down and will serve as a strategic adviser through the integration process.

“As mission-driven companies, Noblis and McKean Defense have a common purpose to enrich lives and make our nation safer with a shared passion for excellence and innovation,” said Noblis President and CEO Amr ElSawy in a statement. “We are excited to welcome McKean employees to the Noblis family and look forward to combining forces to bring new and complementary solutions to address our clients’ growing needs.”

“McKean is an employee-owned company,” said Carlini. “As such, it was important for us to join an organization with a strong, ethical foundation, similar values and a singular focus on helping to advance national security priorities. We found that in Noblis, and I’m confident that together, our teams and service to our clients will thrive.”

Hickock, the subsidiary’s new president, said, “I’m already impressed by the McKean team. They have deep client relationships and extensive mission knowledge—particularly in the naval operations arena. Together, our team can remain agile while adding scale, capabilities and contract vehicles to expand our impacts in the Defense Mission Area and lean further forward in addressing our clients’ changing needs.”

Noblis spun off from The Mitre Corp.’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development in 1996.

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