What DARE Electronics does

DARE Electronics, Inc. is a privately held, woman-owned small business founded in 1976 and headquartered in Troy, Ohio, that designs and manufactures high-reliability mil-spec electronic and electro-mechanical devices for the military, aerospace, and defense industries. The company operates from a single 30,000 sq. ft. facility near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base where all engineering, design, manufacturing, quality, and administrative functions are performed. Its product portfolio centers on time delay relays, voltage/frequency/current/phase sensors, power monitors, flashers, solid-state relays (up to 50 amps), and electro-mechanical relays, with part numbers designed to MIL-PRF-6106, MIL-R-5757, MIL-F-26301, MIL-PRF-24021, and related MIL-STDs, and several listings on military Qualified Products Lists (QPLs). The catalog spans 1,000+ part numbers serving platforms including F/A-18, C-130, F-16, UH-60, Sidewinder, and Minuteman.

DARE's go-to-market is purely direct sales, with no distributors or resellers: customers engage via a website Request for Quote form, technical support forms, toll-free phone (1-800-FON-DARE), or direct contact with sales engineers, and pricing is quote-based. The customer base is concentrated among U.S. defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky, General Dynamics), the Department of Defense and Defense Logistics Agency, all U.S. military branches, and selected industrial customers (Honeywell, Cummins, Piper). A distinctive capability is fit, form, and functional replacement engineering—an in-house library of legacy product data is used to manufacture drop-in replacements for obsolete, discontinued, or sole-source competitor parts (Airpax, CII, Hartman, Leach, Logitek), mitigating diminishing manufacturing source (DMS) risk on aging military platforms.

The revenue model is hardware sales of custom and standard catalog products, typically delivered in one-time purchases or small batches built to customer specifications, with no disclosed subscription, licensing, or recurring service component. DARE has earned 11 consecutive DLA Land & Maritime Gold Excellence Awards, multiple Boeing Performance Excellence Awards (Gold and Silver), Lockheed Martin SPC Certification and Quality Select Supplier status with delegated product acceptance authority, NAVAIR fleet approval, and a MIL-PRF-6106 facility approval. The firm is family-controlled: founder Jerrold (Jerry) Kendall led it from 1976 to 1996, after which his daughter Karen Beagle became President; no institutional investors, parent companies, or external funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

DARE Electronics

Legal name

DARE Electronics, Inc.

Website

https://dareelectronics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DARE Electronics designs and manufactures high-reliability mil-spec time delay relays, sensors, power monitors, and solid-state relays for the U.S. military, aerospace primes, and defense agencies, with a specialty in fit, form, and functional replacements for obsolete competitor components.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mil-Spec Military and Aerospace Electronics Manufacturing

NAICS

Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Power Supplies, RF/Microwave Components & Ruggedized Electronics (IMABAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electromechanical Components (Relays, Switches, Potentiometers, Encoders) (IMAGAJAB), Ruggedized/Harsh-Environment Electronics Manufacturing (IP-rated, shock/vibration, wide-temp) (IMAGAGAF)

Keywords

• Mil-spec relays
• Time delay relays
• Military electronics manufacturing
• Aerospace power monitors
• Solid state sensors

Headquarters

HQ city

Troy

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Electronic Device Manufacturing: Design and manufacturing of custom and standard high-reliability electronic and electro-mechanical products including time delay relays, sensors, power monitors, and relays for military and aerospace applications. Products are sold as one-time purchases or small batch orders based on customer specifications.
2. Standard Product Sales: Sale of standard catalog products across multiple product lines including voltage sensors, frequency sensors, current sensors, power monitors, flashers, and solid-state relays.
3. Fit, Form, and Functional Replacements: Custom replacement products designed for old, obsolete, discontinued, or sole-source items from competitor manufacturers including Airpax, CII, Hartman, Leach, Logitek, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DARE Electronics designs and manufactures high-reliability mil-spec electronic and electro-mechanical products — including time delay relays, voltage/frequency/current/phase sensors, power monitors, flashers, and solid-state relays — for military and aerospace applications. It also produces fit, form, and functional replacements for obsolete or discontinued competitor parts to resolve diminishing manufacturing source (DMS) issues, and supports custom-designed specialty assemblies built to MIL specifications.

Product overview

DARE Electronics offers a comprehensive portfolio of mil-spec electronic and electro-mechanical products designed and manufactured for the military, aerospace, and defense industry. The product line centers on high-reliability sensing and control devices including: Time Delay Relays (fixed and adjustable delay on operate/release, repeat cycle, motor-driven timers); Frequency Sensors (AC/DC powered, fixed and adjustable under/over frequency and band pass); Electro-Mechanical Relays (custom and MIL-PRF-6106 qualified); AC and DC Voltage Sensors (single and three-phase over/under voltage monitoring); Current Sensors (AC and DC current monitoring); Solid State Relays (3 to 50 amps with optical/transformer isolation); Phase Sensors (phase sequence and loss detection); Flashers (MIL-F-26301 compliant); Power Monitors (50/60/400 Hz for aircraft systems); and Custom Designed Products including control boxes, test sets, and specialty assemblies. Additionally, DARE provides Fit, Form, and Functional Replacements for obsolete/discontinued parts from manufacturers including Airpax, CII, Hartman, Leach, Logitek, and others. The portfolio serves F/A-18, C-130, F-16, UH-60, and other military aircraft platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Time Delay Relays High-reliability time delay relays including fixed and adjustable delay on operate, delay on release, repeat cycle timers, interval timers, watchdog timers, and motor-driven timers with delays from milliseconds to hours; designed for military and aerospace applications.
• Frequency Sensors Frequency sensors and monitors available in AC-powered and DC-powered models, designed to protect equipment from damage due to over- and/or under-frequency conditions.
• Electro-Mechanical Relays Custom and standard electro-mechanical relays for military, aerospace, and ground power industry applications, designed to MIL-R-6106 and MIL-R-5757 specifications.
• AC Voltage Sensors Single- or three-phase AC voltage sensors that continuously monitor power lines for over- and/or under-voltage conditions in airborne, ground support, and military applications.
• Current Sensors Current sensors that monitor the presence or absence of AC or DC current, available in standard and custom models with hermetic or gasket seals for severe environmental conditions.
• Solid State Relays Solid-state relays incorporating advanced microelectronic hybrid technology, available from low level to 50 amps, with optical or transformer input-to-output isolation, no contact bounce or arcing, and 3-phase load switching capability.
• DC Voltage Sensors DC voltage sensors monitoring input voltages from 3 to 500 VDC with trip-point accuracy up to 1% and output contacts up to 25 amps 4PDT, in hermetic or gasket-sealed packages for demanding environments.
• Power Monitors Complete line of 50 Hz, 60 Hz, and 400 Hz power monitors available in AC- or DC-operated models for aircraft electrical systems, ground power equipment, and auxiliary power units.
• Custom Designed Products Custom designed specialty products including anti-ice windshield timers, windshield heat controllers, control boxes, electrical test sets, audio bridging transformers, ignition relays, power supplies, and other high-reliability assemblies built to customer specifications.
• Phase Sensors Phase sensors and monitors designed to protect aircraft equipment and devices from damage due to phase loss, phase reversal, or incorrect phase sequence rotation.
• Flashers MIL-F-26301 and other flashers with solid-state or electro-mechanical outputs, used to control navigation, position, warning, or indicating lights in military, airborne, and ground support applications.
• Fit, Form, and Functional Replacements Replacement products designed to satisfy the fit, form, and function of original designs for old, obsolete, discontinued, or sole-source items from manufacturers including Airpax, CII, Hartman, Leach, and Logitek, eliminating diminishing manufacturing source (DMS) situations.
• AC/DC Power Monitors AC- and DC-operated power monitors that sense and monitor frequency, phase, and voltage of power in aircraft electrical systems, ground power equipment, and auxiliary power units.
• External Aircraft Power Monitors External aircraft electrical power monitors designed to MIL-E-24021F (MIL-PRF-24021), sensing output characteristics of 115 V, 400 Hz ground power and protecting aircraft electrical systems from voltage, frequency, or phase issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% on-time delivery and quality rating maintained across multiple years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sensata Technologies: Sensata Technologies manufactures sensors and electromechanical controls across aerospace, defense, and industrial markets — a broader incumbent whose aerospace/defense sensor portfolio competes with DARE's voltage, current, frequency, and phase sensors.
• TE Connectivity: TE Connectivity is a global incumbent that designs and manufactures a broad portfolio of mil-spec relays, sensors, and connectors for aerospace and defense — overlapping with DARE's relay and sensor lines but at vastly greater scale and across many more product categories.
• Microsemi (Microchip Technology): Microsemi (acquired by Microchip) supplies aerospace and defense semiconductors and power management modules — a broader incumbent whose power monitoring and ruggedized electronics overlap with DARE's AC/DC power monitor and solid-state relay lines.
• Glenair: Glenair manufactures military-spec interconnect and electronic packaging products for aerospace and defense — a broader incumbent that addresses overlapping harsh-environment electronics needs with DARE though with a different primary focus on connectors and packaging.
• Honeywell International: Honeywell is both a DARE customer and a broad incumbent in aerospace electronics and sensors — overlapping with DARE's power monitors and sensors at the subsystem level while operating across vastly larger commercial and defense portfolios.

Direct peers

• Logitek Electronic Systems: Logitek manufactures time delay relays, flashers, and timing devices for military and aerospace markets — a direct peer explicitly cited in DARE's replacement product line and a competitor in mil-spec timer/flasher categories.
• CII Technologies: CII Technologies (Communications Instruments Inc.) manufactures military/aerospace relays and timers — explicitly named in DARE's fit/form/functional replacement product line as a legacy brand whose parts DARE reverse-engineers.
• Leach International: Leach International (now part of TransDigm) manufactures military-spec electromechanical and solid-state relays, contactors, and power switches for aerospace and defense — a direct competitor in the same mil-spec relay category that DARE explicitly cites as a legacy brand it replaces.
• Hartman Electrical Manufacturing: Hartman Electrical Manufacturing produces mil-spec relays, timers, and control devices for military and aerospace applications — a direct competitor referenced in DARE's customer replacement library and in the prior employer of DARE's Business Development Manager.
• Airpax (Sensata brand): Airpax (now part of Sensata) manufactures precision timers, circuit breakers, and military-spec relays — explicitly named in DARE's replacement library and competing with DARE in time-delay relays for defense applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 DARE Electronics