What C Speed does

C Speed LLC is a U.S.-engineered radar and surveillance systems company headquartered in Liverpool, NY, serving primarily U.S. federal defense, homeland security, and international defense customers. The company's core technology is the LightWave Radar (LWR) software-defined radar platform, a modular architecture combining off-the-shelf hardware with proprietary mission-configurable radar components, which powers the Elevated Surveillance Radar (ESR) family for aerostat-mounted airborne surveillance and the Ground-Based Radar (GBR) family for medium-range air defense, as well as the LSR/1000 360-degree precision air surveillance radar. The LightWave platform also underpins the LTPS-3D digital upgrade package and Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) that modernize legacy TPS-43/70/72/75, WATCHMAN, SPN-43, and related radar systems with 15-20 year service life extensions at up to 240 nmi range.

C Speed generates revenue across five streams: hardware sales of new radar systems, professional services revenue from radar modernization and upgrades, managed services through long-term surveillance operations and sustainment contracts, design engineering services to defense and commercial clients, and AI-enabled radar software positioned through the BigBear.ai ConductorOS partnership. Goto-market is enterprise field sales direct to federal agencies (U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, DHS, CBP, Department of War, NATO), supplemented by prime/subcontractor relationships on major programs such as the TARS program with QinetiQ US and a strategic channel partnership with DEMCO Holdings for Saudi Arabia and MENA expansion.

The company has been backed by NewSpring Holdings since its October 2024 acquisition and operates as a platform company under the NewSpring Holdings Federal Platform, with $3.5B+ AUM under the parent. C Speed achieved CMMC Level 2 certification with a perfect 110/110 score in May 2026 and was awarded a place on the MDA SHIELD IDIQ contract with a $151 billion ceiling in January 2026. Leadership transitioned to Dave Abel as CEO in May 2026, succeeding Kevin McLaughlin who remains as Senior Advisor on the Board.

Name

C Speed

Legal name

C Speed LLC

Website

https://cspeed.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

C Speed LLC is a U.S. defense technology company that designs and manufactures software-defined LightWave Radar systems — including airborne ESR, ground-based GBR, and the LTPS-3D modernization package — serving U.S. federal defense, homeland security, and international defense customers through direct sales and prime/subcontractor channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defense Radar Systems

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) Systems (IMABAOAD), Military ISR, EW & SIGINT Payloads (Airborne) (IMABAMAF), Electronic Warfare (EW) & SIGINT/ELINT Systems (IMABAGAB)

Keywords

• Software-defined radar
• Defense surveillance systems
• Radar modernization
• Airborne surveillance radar
• Ground-based radar

Headquarters

HQ city

Liverpool

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Radar Systems and Hardware Sales: Sale of advanced radar systems including Airborne ESR and Ground-Based GBR platforms. Systems are modular and configurable, supporting various mission requirements for defense and homeland security applications.
2. Radar Modernization and Upgrades: Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) that modernize legacy radar systems through software upgrades. Extends operational life, enhances performance, and reduces total cost of ownership for existing platforms.
3. Surveillance Operations and Sustainment: Long-term support services including field support, sustainment engineering, remote monitoring, repairs and maintenance, performance analysis, and integration support. Proactive sustainment model that keeps systems mission-ready.
4. Design Engineering Services: Engineering team providing software development, quality assurance and testing, project management, hardware engineering, mechanical engineering, and digital design services for defense and commercial clients.
5. AI-Enabled Radar Software: Partnership with BigBear.ai to integrate AI/ML capabilities into LightWave Radar systems for enhanced threat detection, autonomous decision support, and reduced operator cognitive burden.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

C Speed designs, engineers, and manufactures software-defined radar and integrated surveillance systems for defense and homeland security applications. Its LightWave Radar (LWR) platform powers airborne Elevated Surveillance Radar (ESR) and Ground-Based Radar (GBR) product lines, complemented by the LTPS-3D upgrade package for legacy radar modernization, Design Engineering Services, and long-term Surveillance Operations & Sustainment support for U.S. and allied defense customers.

Product overview

C Speed offers a platform-based product architecture centered on its LightWave Radar (LWR) software-defined radar technology. The core LightWave Radar platform powers multiple product lines including the Elevated Surveillance Radar (ESR) family (ESR/TR10, ESR/TS10, ESR/SR40) for airborne deployment on aerostats, and Ground-Based Radar (GBR) family (GBR/TS10, GBR/TR10) plus LSR/1000 for ground-based operations. These systems provide layered early warning detection of airborne, GMTI, and maritime threats. C Speed complements its radar products with Design Engineering Services for full-lifecycle development, Radar Modernization and Upgrades (including the LTPS-3D upgrade package) for legacy system enhancement, and Surveillance Operations & Sustainment services. The company is backed by NewSpring Holdings and partners with BigBear.ai for AI-enabled threat detection capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LightWave Radar (LWR) Software-defined radar platform providing high-fidelity tracking, modular flexibility, advanced clutter rejection, and side-lobe suppression for detecting low-RCS targets at long range. Powers all C Speed radar solutions across aerostat and mobile ground systems, for defense and homeland security customers.
• Elevated Surveillance Radar (ESR) Airborne radar platform providing elevated, over-the-horizon surveillance of low-flying, low-observable threats including cruise missiles, cUAS, GMTI, and maritime vessels. Fully integrated payloads combine radar with EO/IR, SIGINT, and cUAS capabilities. Available in variants (ESR/TR10, ESR/TS10, ESR/SR40) for defense and homeland security customers.
• Ground-Based Radar (GBR) Ground-based radar platform providing medium range detection of higher flying airborne threats including fighter aircraft, missiles, and UAS. Works with ESR platforms to provide overlapping coverage and eliminate blind spots. Available in variants (GBR/TS10, GBR/TR10) for defense and homeland security customers.
• LTPS-3D Upgrade Package Complete fully digital modernization package for legacy TPS-43/70/72/75 radar systems. Housed in a single 15-foot ISO container, the upgrade delivers next-generation 3D radar processing with up to 240 nmi range, extends system life by 15-20 years, and includes full training, warranty, and support services.
• Design Engineering Services Full lifecycle engineering services including software development, quality assurance and testing, hardware engineering, mechanical engineering, digital design, and project management. Serves military/civilian radar, medical devices, IoT, and test & measurement industries.
• Radar Modernization and Upgrades (SLEP) Service Life Extension Programs (SLEP) that modernize legacy radar systems including TPS-43, TPS-70/72, TPS-75, TPS-78, WATCHMAN, SPN-43, S511, S711, and TPS-79 through software upgrades that extend operational life, enhance performance, and reduce operating costs.
• Surveillance Operations & Sustainment Long-term support services including field support, sustainment engineering, remote monitoring, repairs and maintenance, performance analysis, Radar Data as a Service, and integration support — a proactive sustainment model that keeps radar systems mission-ready with high operational availability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15-20 year service life extension for legacy radar systems through SLEP programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• RedspinminorOthers · 6 May 2026Redspin, a leading CMMC 3rd Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO), conducted C Speed's CMMC Level 2 assessment resulting in perfect score of 110.
• DEMCO HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Strategic partnership MOU signed at World Defense Show 2026 to collaborate on radar and sensing technology projects in Saudi Arabia. Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, focusing on local industrial participation and technology development. Designed as strategic and advisory partnership to accelerate defense and national security modernization efforts in KSA and broader MENA region.
• BigBear.aicoreTechnology or Integration · 18 December 2025Strategic partnership to integrate BigBear.ai's ConductorOS AI orchestration platform with C Speed's LightWave Radar system for AI-enabled threat detection and decision support. Targets counter-UAS, air and missile defense operations. Both companies pursuing growth across U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of War, and international partner missions. Partnership leverages BigBear.ai's Abu Dhabi office for Middle East expansion.
• QinetiQ USmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorC Speed issued subcontract by QinetiQ US as part of Team ACES winning TARS (Tethered Aerostat Radar System) Operations & Maintenance III contract from CBP. Contract valued at $170M for QinetiQ. Team includes C Speed LLC, Elevated Technologies LLC, and Sky Ship Services Inc. (SSI). Provides operations and sustainment on TARS program including air, land, and maritime domain awareness.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• SRC Inc. SRC Inc. is a similarly sized U.S. defense company specializing in counter-UAS, radar, electronic warfare, and ISR solutions for federal customers. Direct peer to C Speed in product portfolio (radar/C-UAS), customer base (DoD), and contract vehicle participation (IDIQ work).
• Liteye Systems: Liteye Systems provides counter-UAS, radar, and integrated surveillance solutions to defense and homeland security customers. Direct competitor in the mid-tier U.S. C-UAS and air surveillance market with overlapping customer relationships across DoD and DHS.
• Black Sage Technologies: Black Sage Technologies integrates counter-UAS detection (including radar), RF, and effector solutions for defense and homeland security. Competes directly with C Speed in C-UAS system integration for DoD, DHS, and critical infrastructure customers.
• RADA Electronic Industries: RADA Electronic Industries (acquired by Leonardo) manufactures tactical radar for active protection, counter-UAS, and critical infrastructure. Direct competitor to C Speed in compact military radar, especially for vehicle-mounted and ground-based air defense.
• Telephonics (Griffon Corporation): Telephonics, a Griffon subsidiary, manufactures maritime surveillance radar, IFF/interrogation systems, and airborne radar for defense. Direct peer in the legacy and modern radar upgrade segment serving U.S. military and allied customers.

Emerging players

• Echodyne: Echodyne produces metamaterial ESA radar panels for defense, security, and autonomous machine applications. Emerging peer competing with C Speed's LightWave Radar in the software-defined, lightweight surveillance radar segment, especially for C-UAS and critical infrastructure protection.
• DroneShield: DroneShield is a publicly listed counter-UAS and drone detection company providing RF, radar, and integrated solutions to defense, law enforcement, and critical infrastructure customers. Emerging global peer with overlap in the counter-UAS detection segment where C Speed competes.
• Dedrone: Dedrone provides counter-UAS detection software and sensor-fusion solutions integrating radar, RF, and cameras. Adjacent emerging player that increasingly bundles with radar providers like C Speed for multi-sensor C-UAS deployments.

Broad incumbents

• Thales Group: Thales is a global defense electronics incumbent with broad air surveillance, radar, and missile defense portfolios. Competes with C Speed at the program level on NATO and Middle East opportunities and is a likely prime competitor for SHIELD task orders and KSA modernization programs.
• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a major U.S. defense prime with extensive radar, electronic warfare, and integrated air defense offerings. Broad incumbent competing with C Speed on SLEP-style modernization programs (e.g., TPS platforms) and as a prime on SHIELD and TARS follow-ons.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/cspeed
• Xx.com/CSpeedLLC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-speed

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about C Speed