What Test Systems does

TEST SYSTEMS, Inc. is a Phoenix, Arizona-based private company that has specialized exclusively in support for the MIL-STD-1553 military data bus standard since its founding in 1979. The firm operates two service lines: industry-respected training seminars and an Air Force approved independent testing service for MIL-STD-1553 remote terminals. Its customers include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, NASA, manufacturers of 1553 products, and various American and international corporations. The company made a major contribution to the development of the RT Validation Test Plan (Appendix A to MIL-HDBK-1553) that underpins its testing offering.

The product portfolio comprises six offerings: a Two-Day Seminar, a Three-Day Seminar, a three-hour Overview Seminar aimed at engineering managers, an On-Site Seminar delivered at customer locations, a dedicated MIL-STD-1773 fiber optic seminar, and the RT Validation Testing Service. Testing is performed either at the customer's facility or in Phoenix and yields a comprehensive test report, with TEST SYSTEMS providing expert interpretation of results and troubleshooting support. Validation of a dual standby redundant remote terminal typically takes 8-12 hours when no problems are encountered. The underlying technology domain is MIL-STD-1553B/C (and the MIL-HDBK-1553A handbook) plus its fiber optic variant MIL-STD-1773.

Revenue is generated through professional services fees from seminar registrations and validation testing engagements. Seminars are scheduled in Phoenix (e.g., April and October 2026 sessions) and live streamed globally via ZOOM, with on-site delivery offered as a cost-saving option. Marketing is content-driven — a website with extensive PDF resources, direct email contact via [email protected], and word-of-mouth within the defense/aerospace community. The firm operates without disclosed institutional funding, a parent company, or external investors, and is led by founder and president Leroy Earhart.

Name

Test Systems

Legal name

TEST SYSTEMS, Inc.

Website

https://testsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TEST SYSTEMS, Inc. is a Phoenix-based private company that since 1979 has specialized exclusively in MIL-STD-1553, providing Air Force approved remote terminal validation testing and training seminars to U.S. defense agencies, aerospace manufacturers, and international corporations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military Standards Testing and Training Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Aerospace Ground Support Equipment (GSE) & Test Systems (IMABAMAL)

Keywords

• Military standards testing
• Defense training seminars
• Remote terminal validation
• Aerospace compliance testing
• Fiber optic military training

Headquarters

HQ city

Phoenix

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Seminars: Revenue from 2-day and 3-day training seminars on MIL-STD-1553 held in Phoenix and on-site at customer locations. Also includes overview seminars and MIL-STD-1773 fiber optic seminars.
2. Testing Services: Air Force approved independent testing service for remote terminals. Testing provided at customer facility or in Phoenix. Revenue based on testing services rendered.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TEST SYSTEMS, Inc. provides specialized training seminars and independent Air Force approved testing services exclusively for MIL-STD-1553. Training is delivered as 2-day, 3-day, overview, on-site, and MIL-STD-1773 seminars in Phoenix, via ZOOM, or at customer sites. The RT Validation Testing Service independently tests remote terminals to the RT Validation Test Plan (Appendix A to MIL-HDBK-1553) and produces comprehensive test reports with troubleshooting assistance.

Product overview

TEST SYSTEMS, Inc. is a specialized provider focused exclusively on MIL-STD-1553 support since 1979. The company offers two core service lines: (1) Training Seminars available in multiple formats (Two-Day, Three-Day, Overview, and On-Site options) plus a separate MIL-STD-1773 Fiber Optic seminar; and (2) RT Validation Testing Service providing independent, Air Force approved testing for remote terminals to MIL-HDBK-1553 standards. The product portfolio centers on these training and testing services with supporting PDF documentation resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1553 Two-Day Seminar

Quantifiable outcome

• Validation testing expected to take 8-12 hours for dual standby redundant remote terminal

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mercury Systems: Mercury Systems provides mission-critical processing and avionics subsystems for aerospace and defense applications, often integrating or interfacing with 1553 buses. It operates at a much larger scale than Test Systems across the broader defense electronics value chain.
• Rohde & Schwarz: Rohde & Schwarz is a major test and measurement equipment vendor serving aerospace and defense with oscilloscopes, signal analyzers, and compliance test solutions. Its general-purpose T&M tools are used in 1553 validation contexts, positioning it as a broader incumbent in the test equipment ecosystem Test Systems serves.
• Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Curtiss-Wright is a large defense electronics provider with a broad portfolio spanning Mission Systems, Defense Electronics, and Naval & Land systems. It supports many 1553-equipped platforms and competes more broadly for aerospace testing and validation work than Test Systems' niche services.
• Abaco Systems: Abaco Systems (formerly GE Intelligent Platforms) provides embedded computing hardware and avionics I/O for aerospace and defense. Its boards and systems often integrate 1553 interfaces, putting it in the broader supply chain that Test Systems supports with validation testing and training.
• Data Device Corporation (DDC): DDC is a leading supplier of MIL-STD-1553 components, boards, and embedded interfaces for military and aerospace platforms, with a much broader product portfolio than Test Systems. While DDC does not primarily offer independent validation services, its reference designs and supporting tooling overlap with Test Systems' customer ecosystem.
• Kontron (including former Radisys aerospace/defense line): Kontron supplies embedded computing and avionics I/O modules for aerospace, defense, and transportation, including 1553 interface products. It competes in the broader embedded/aerospace electronics space alongside the suppliers Test Systems validates and trains engineers on.

Direct peers

• Excalibur Systems: Excalibur Systems manufactures MIL-STD-1553 test, simulation, and interface equipment and offers related test/validation services. It serves the same 1553 ecosystem customers (military and aerospace integrators) as Test Systems, providing an alternative path to validation through purchased equipment or in-house testing.
• Sital Technology: Sital Technology designs and manufactures MIL-STD-1553 test and monitoring equipment, IP cores, and components for aerospace and defense. It competes with Test Systems by enabling customers to perform validation internally rather than outsourcing.
• AIM GmbH: AIM is a long-established German manufacturer of MIL-STD-1553 (and related avionics bus) interface cards, test tools, and validation platforms. It serves the same defense and aerospace integrators as Test Systems and is frequently evaluated alongside it for 1553 validation and testing workflows.
• Alta Data Technologies: Alta Data Technologies produces MIL-STD-1553 interface cards, analyzers, and test tools for aerospace and defense applications. Customers of Test Systems (1553 product manufacturers and integrators) frequently use Alta products to perform the validation that Test Systems offers as a service.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Test Systems