What BY LIGHT Professional IT Services does

BY LIGHT Professional IT Services LLC is a privately held, Sagewind Capital-backed federal defense and IT services contractor headquartered in McLean, Virginia (with additional facilities in Chantilly, Silver Spring, Hanover, Fayetteville, Jacksonville NC, Orlando, and a 180,000-square-foot manufacturing site in Port Orange, Florida). The firm operates two principal divisions — Cyber and Modeling, Simulation & Training — and delivers capabilities across C5ISR, Digital Services, and Global Solutions, serving all branches of the U.S. Department of Defense (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps), federal civilian agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, and allied/UK/NATO customers via its UK subsidiary By Light Technologies Ltd.

The company's technology stack combines proprietary products with platform integrations. Core offerings include CyberCENTS® and RangeOS (a Kubernetes-based cyber range operating system with API-driven extensibility to SIEM/SOAR/EDR), the TrueShot AI family of computer-vision targeting systems (Small Arms, Mortar, Stinger, Force-on-Force Drone, and Kinetic Counter-UAS), the Mission Reconfigurable™ open-standards simulation platform supporting UH-60/CH-47/CH-53/CV-22 trainers, an AI-driven Automated Target Recognition (ATR) EO/IR engine for maritime UAS, the BOTS forward-observer system, TRICS RoIP gateways integrating Motorola WAVE, and a Voyager 8-based hardware portfolio of satellite, video ISR, and power modules. Manufacturing is anchored at the Port Orange Defense Industrial Base facility supporting HALO Aeronautics UAS and the Orqa U.S. joint venture for Blue UAS-compliant drones, with engineering processes CMMI-Dev Level 3 rated and enterprise-wide CMMC Level 2 certified.

The business model is B2G, generating revenue almost entirely through competitive federal procurement on IDIQ/GWAC vehicles — most notably the five-year base/five-year option GSA Alliant 3 Unrestricted GWAC with no maximum dollar ceiling, plus Army ITES-3S, CS3, and Encore III — and direct award contracts such as the $62M Stinger Training System production contract. Growth has been acquisition-driven, consolidating CESI, Dignitas Technologies (Feb 2026), Veraxx, Axom, Metova Federal, Phacil, and Raydon under one platform, and the firm recently expanded internationally through Team CATALYST for NATO's NexGen M&S Program and onshoring ITAR-free sovereign capabilities through its UK entity.

Name

BY LIGHT Professional IT Services

Legal name

By Light Professional IT Services LLC

Website

https://bylight.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

BY LIGHT Professional IT Services is a Sagewind Capital-backed federal defense contractor delivering cyber operations, modeling/simulation/training, C5ISR, and IT modernization solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, federal civilian agencies, and NATO allies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense IT Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO), Counter-UAS (C-UAS) Systems & Drone Defense (IMABAIAG), Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC)

Keywords

• Defense IT services
• Cyber training platforms
• Military simulation training
• Federal IT solutions
• Warfighter readiness systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Government IT Services and Solutions: By Light generates the majority of its revenue through federal government contracts, including IDIQ vehicles (Alliant 3 GWAC with no ceiling ceiling, Army ITES-3S, CS3, Encore III) and direct contract awards such as a $500M Army contract. The company serves all branches of the DoD, federal civilian agencies, and international defense organizations.
2. Defense Products and Platforms: Sale of proprietary defense products including simulation trainers (Mission Reconfigurable, flight simulators), live training systems (TrueShot AI, Stinger Training System), UAS platforms (HALO Aeronautics), and hardware modules (video ISR, satellite routers, communications solutions). CESI, a By Light company, received a $62M production contract for Stinger Training Systems.
3. Acquisition-Driven Portfolio Expansion: By Light grows revenue through strategic acquisitions of complementary defense technology firms (Dignitas Technologies, Veraxx), expanding its synthetic training ecosystem, cyber training capabilities, and customer base across U.S. military branches and programs including F-35, ACTS II, and Next Generation Constructive.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

By Light Professional IT Services is a private U.S. defense and federal IT contractor that delivers advanced technology solutions across two main divisions—Cyber and Modeling, Simulation & Training—to U.S. Department of Defense branches, federal civilian agencies, and international defense customers. The company provides cyber ranges and workforce training, live/virtual/constructive (LVC) training systems, AI-enabled live training, high-fidelity flight simulation, C5ISR communications hardware, digital services, and Blue UAS-compliant unmanned aerial systems manufactured at a 180,000-square-foot facility in Port Orange, Florida.

Product overview

By Light Professional IT Services LLC is a defense and federal technology solutions provider organized around two core divisions—Cyber and Modeling, Simulation & Training—offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions for Defense, National Security, and Global Markets. The Cyber division provides cyber workforce development, custom cyber ranges (CENTS® + RangeOS), cyberspace operations, and end-to-end cybersecurity. The Modeling, Simulation & Training division delivers the Army's Synthetic Training Environment (STE) including the Reconfigurable Virtual Collective Trainer (RVCT), TrueShot AI family of AI-powered training systems (Small Arms, Mortar, Stinger, Force-on-Force Drone Training, Kinetic Counter-UAS), and Live, Virtual, Constructive (LVC) training platforms. Additional capabilities include HALO Aeronautics UAS and the Orqa U.S. joint venture for Blue UAS-compliant drones, C5ISR communications solutions, Digital Services (DevSecOps, cloud services), Global Solutions for IT operations, and a portfolio of hardware products including TRICS RoIP solutions, satellite router modules (950V8), video ISR modules (HD-VX, HD-VXQ, HD-D4), and power systems (BATT Case) built on the KLAS Telecom Voyager 8 platform. The company operates a 180,000-square-foot Defense Industrial Base manufacturing facility in Port Orange, Florida, and maintains offices in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Florida. By Light has acquired multiple companies including Cole Engineering Services Inc. (CESI), Dignitas Technologies, and Veraxx Engineering Corporation to expand its capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CyberCENTS: Cyber range platforms and cyber workforce training and exercises
• HALO Aeronautics
• Mission Reconfigurable
• TrueShot AI
• RangeOS
• CENTS
• AI Lab
• CATI
• CBII
• Orqa U.S.

Products and services

• CyberCENTS® + RangeOS Cyber range platforms and cyber workforce training and exercises with the RangeOS operating system that automates, scales, and secures training environments with API-driven extensibility for SIEM, SOAR, EDR integration.
• TrueShot AI Small Arms AI-powered computer vision targeting and engagement system for live small arms force-on-force training, providing shot-level analytics and weapon-specific ballistic modeling.
• TrueShot AI Mortar AI-enabled mortar crew trainer using computer vision to deliver inert-fire drills, captured firing data, and performance insights.
• TrueShot AI Stinger Physically representative, non-fireable Stinger missile trainer with onboard computer vision targeting and assessment, eliminating the need for lasers or target sensors.
• TrueShot AI Force-on-Force Drone Training Computer vision-driven live training for offensive and defensive drone operations including attack drones, c-UAS, and munitions-dropping drones.
• TrueShot AI Kinetic Counter-UAS Portable, weapon-mounted kinetic counter-UAS system combining optical sensors and computer vision to track and cue Group 1-2 drones for kinetic defeat using existing small arms.
• Battlefield Observer Targeting System (BOTS) Hardware/software training solution that transforms standard military or commercial binoculars into advanced Forward Observer training tools using computer vision.
• Automated Target Recognition (ATR)

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.8M cloud hosting cost savings for VA through compressed 6-month migration (vs. planned 12 months)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability20 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and strategic.

• Orqa U.S. LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026By Light partnered with Croatian drone manufacturer Orqa to establish Orqa U.S. LLC, an independent U.S.-owned venture headquartered in Oakland, California, with production operations at By Light's 180,000-square-foot Port Orange, Florida facility. The venture delivers fully compliant, American-made UAS to the U.S. military and government at scale, targeting Blue UAS compliance and full-rate production capability by October 2026, supporting the U.S. Department of War's Drone Dominance Program.
• Team CATALYST Consortium (NATO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026By Light leads Team CATALYST, a multinational industry team competing for NATO Allied Command Transformation's Next Generation Modelling and Simulation (NexGen M&S) Program. Partners include: ETE Technology (Turkey), Thales (France), Leonardo (Italy), Slitherine (UK), Horizon Strategies (USA), and Liberty Business Associates (USA). The team combines decades of experience delivering simulation capabilities to defense organizations worldwide, with collective security credentials and NATO-nation presence.
• University of South Florida (USF)strategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026By Light and USF formalized a strategic partnership to develop trustworthy AI systems for national security applications, focusing on AI assurance using mathematical formal methods to validate AI behavior in high-stakes environments such as automated target recognition and autonomous systems operating in GPS-denied conditions. The collaboration leverages USF's proximity to MacDill AFB and research leadership in AI assurance, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems.
• Dignitas TechnologiescoreOthers · 10 February 2026By Light acquired Dignitas Technologies, an Orlando-based provider of Modeling, Simulation, & Training (MS&T) products and solutions headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Dignitas specializes in architecture-centric agile solutions with system and software analysis, design, development, testing, and fielding of mission rehearsal applications for U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps customers including F-35, ACTS II, and Next Generation Constructive. Financial terms were not disclosed.
• By Light Technologies Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2025By Light Technologies Ltd. is onshoring world-class cyber training, Live-Virtual-Constructive (LVC) integration, and advanced simulation capabilities to UK and NATO customers. ITAR-free sovereign solutions are designed, built, and supported within the UK, ensuring freedom, flexibility, and assured control for UK national and multinational programmes. Invests in local scientific, engineering, and training talent with in-country development, integration, and through-life support.
• Veraxx Engineering CorporationcoreOthers · 1 August 2022By Light acquired Veraxx Engineering Corporation, a flight simulation training technology firm, expanding its simulation training portfolio. Veraxx is listed as 'a By Light Company' in the product catalog.
• Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI)coreOthersCESI, a By Light Company, delivers software-defined training, simulation, and cyber solutions supporting the integrated multi-domain force. Since 2004, CESI has led the development and integration of Live, Virtual, Constructive, and Gaming (LVCG) environments, serious games, wargaming, and cyber training platforms. Awarded $62M U.S. Army production contract for Stinger Training System and develops the TrueShot AI family of AI-powered targeting systems.
• Orqa (parent company of Orqa U.S.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrqa is one of the largest UAV/drone manufacturers in the world, producing components and integrated systems for customers in over 50 markets worldwide, including 24 NATO member states. All Orqa products are made without any Chinese parts through a vertically integrated production model. Ranked #135 overall and #2 in Aerospace & Defense in the Financial Times' FT1000 list of Europe's fastest-growing companies in 2026. Battle-tested technology validated under real combat conditions in European conflict zones.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SAIC: Large federal IT services and solutions prime serving DoD, intelligence, and federal civilian agencies across cloud, cyber, simulation, and engineering. Closely comparable on contract-vehicle footprint, M&S heritage, and customer overlap with By Light.
• CACI International: Federal IT and engineering services prime with strong cyber, C5ISR, electronic warfare, and simulation exposure. Comparable scale and business mix with similar reliance on competitive DoD task orders and IDIQ vehicles.
• Amentum: Engineering, IT, and training services company formed from AECOM's federal services spinoff and the ECS Federal acquisition. Directly comparable on simulation/training capabilities, defense IT services, and acquisition-driven platform model.
• Peraton: PE-backed (Veritas Capital) federal IT, cyber, and mission solutions provider serving DoD, intelligence, and federal civilian agencies. Comparable on portfolio breadth, IDIQ-heavy go-to-market, and PE-sponsored roll-up strategy.
• CAE Inc. Canadian-headquartered simulation and training specialist serving commercial aviation, defense, and healthcare. Directly comparable on flight simulation training (UH-60, CH-47 platforms), LVC training environments, and synthetic training ecosystems.

Broad incumbents

• Leidos: Largest pure-play federal IT/services prime with broad portfolio across defense, intelligence, and health. Overlaps with By Light across defense simulation (STE-related), C5ISR, and cyber ranges, but operates at much larger scale across many more agencies.
• Booz Allen Hamilton: Major federal consulting and IT services firm with deep cyber, defense, and intelligence practices. Overlaps on cyber workforce development/training and federal IT services but serves a much broader civilian/commercial consulting portfolio.
• General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT): IT services arm of General Dynamics serving DoD, intelligence, and federal civilian agencies. Comparable on Alliant-equivalent contract vehicles, cloud/cyber IT services, and defense simulation training work.

Emerging players

• Anduril Industries: Well-capitalized emerging defense-tech company building AI-enabled autonomous systems (UAS, counter-UAS, autonomous underwater vehicles, software). Overlaps with By Light's HALO Aeronautics, Orqa U.S., TrueShot AI Kinetic Counter-UAS, and ATR product directions.

Others

• ManTech International (now Constellis): Former PE-backed federal IT, cyber, and mission solutions provider that was acquired and partially reorganized. Adjacent comparable on PE-sponsored scale-up via acquisitions and DoD IT services delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ByLightLLC
• Facebookfacebook.com/ByLightITServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/by-light-professional-it-services

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A7 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BY LIGHT Professional IT Services