Noblis rebrands subsidiary to encompass defense portfolio

Subsidiary McKean Defense Group now Noblis MSD

Published July 29, 2021 by Katherine Schulte

Reston-based Noblis is rebranding its McKean Defense Group subsidiary as Noblis MSD (mission solutions for defense), the not-for-profit federal contractor announced Wednesday.

Noblis closed its acquisition of Philadelphia-based McKean Defense Group and its affiliates on April 30, creating a wholly owned subsidiary. Cabrillo Technologies will remain part of the subsidiary now called Noblis MSD, while Mikros Systems will retain its name and remain an affiliate of the rebranded company.

McKean Defense Group was formerly an employee-owned defense contractor specializing in surface ship readiness for the U.S. Navy. Noblis MSD provides the Navy with network design, operational readiness, system modernization, lifecycle sustainment and system integration. It will help the U.S. Navy and other defense clients design solutions for operations and maintenance.

The intent behind the rebrand was to introduce Noblis to the entirety of the defense marketplace, Noblis President and CEO Amr ElSawy says. Noblis’ integration plan was to think of itself as a holistic organization with subsidiaries — like Noblis ESI focusing on intelligence, Noblis MSD will cover defense.

“We wanted this to be a way of holistically integrating the work that we do at Noblis as well as the work that we do at McKean for the Defense Department,” ElSawy says. “Obviously, McKean had a focus with the Army as well as with the Navy — and predominantly with the Navy — but our overall Noblis portfolio really covers Army, Air Force, as well as the Navy now.”

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

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