Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Industry Talk: Ares Management Will Acquire Global Defense Technology And Systems
It paid nearly $27 million for the Fort Meade-based Zytel and almost $53 million for Signature Government Solutions in Herndon.
Those purchases “kind of tapped them out, so they really needed some dry powder to continue on the acquisition campaign . . . to maintain their growth and maintain their competitiveness,” Kipp said.
Hillen said Ares’ backing could potentially accelerate GTEC’s plans to buy more companies as it seeks to grow organically and through acquisitions.
The company is focusing on high-end technology companies that work in areas like cybersecurity and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Boy, if you owned any GTEC stock you probably experienced a little bump as a result from this acquisition news. I also included the stock screener for GTEC so you can see for yourself what Ares Management is seeing in Global.
This company is doing well, and the infusion of private-equity will help them to continue to do well. Who knows what companies will be in Global’s sights for future purchase, but if you look at their past purchases dealing with cyber security, we probably can deduct that we will see more of the same in the future. Cyber security is huge business, and companies are all jockeying for position in this evolving market.
Of course the reason I put this up on the blog is because GTEC is also related to Global Strategies Group.(From website: Our former wholly-owned North American subsidiary, Global Defense Technology & Systems, Inc. GTEC, recently completed an initial public offering. GLOBAL continues to be a significant shareholder of GTEC.) Although I don’t think this news will really impact you guys out there too much, unless you owned stock in GTEC. Thanks to a reader for giving me the heads up. –Matt
Private equity firm will acquire GTEC of McLean
By Marjorie CenserMonday, March 7, 2011
McLean-based Global Defense Technology & Systems, a growing contractor primarily focused on intelligence systems and services, announced last week it will be acquired by an affiliate of private-equity firm Ares Management.
The company is the latest to be picked up by private equity, which has played an increasingly large role in the defense industry as it adjusts to anticipated reduced budgets and new Pentagon guidelines on conflicts of interest.
The buy “highlights the capital market renaissance that’s occurred over the last 12 months,” said Bob Kipps, managing director of the McLean-based investment firm KippsDeSanto.
The definitive agreement reached by GTEC, as the company is known, and Ares, based the deal on a share price of $24.25, a nearly 51 percent increase over the company’s $16.08 close the day before the agreement was announced. The total deal value is approximately $315 million, including the assumption of debt and prior to expenses, GTEC said.
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Publications: CRS Report-DoD Use Of PSC’s In Iraq And Afghanistan, February 2011
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Friday, March 4, 2011
Jobs: Mobile Team Leader, Afghanistan
I haven’t heard much about Black and Veatch’s security related contracts. I have heard of the company though, and if you check out their career section, they have quite a few security related jobs flying in Afghanistan. Mostly management type gigs.
Good luck and let me know how it goes if you apply. I am not the POC or recruiter and follow the links provided below in order to apply. –Matt
Business Title: Mobile Team Leader, Kandahar
District: Kandahar, Afghanistan
Location: Afghanistan-Kabul
Requisition Number: 4992BR
Employee Type: Full Time
Percent of Travel Required: 26-50
Visa Sponsorship Available? Yes
Relocation Available? No
At Black & Veatch, you can work on projects of complex size and scope across a full spectrum of construction services within the worldwide energy, water, telecommunications and federal markets. We are a global construction company with both union and merit shop capabilities, and a procurement team experienced in reducing purchasing costs, mitigating risks and maximizing scheduled.
If you’re ready for the excitement of working with state-of-the-art technologies, advanced project management tools and industry-leading safety programs, this is where you want to be.
Primary Purpose
1. Assist in the provision of protection of the B&V KHP resources i.e. personnel, equipment and vehicles to achieve the required company standards of productivity as agreed.
2. Where deviations occur you are mandated to implement a remedial plan of action after consultation with the Convoy Ops Manager.
3. Report any deviation or incidents to the Convoy Ops Manager.
4. You are accountable for the equipment as issued by the Logistical Manager.
5. In the execution of your tasks you are to adhere to the stipulations of the B&V KHP SOP regulations, orders, and doctrines.
6. Deliver emergency medical services during missions.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
**This position is located in Kandahar, Afghanistan**
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Maritime Security: Naval Guard’s Escort Forces Save The Day, Repel Pirate Attack Off Coast Of Yemen
Naval Guards’ Operations Chief, Thomas Jakobssen, explained to gCaptain that the 42-meter escort vessel Marshal-5 had been shadowing the Capricorn at a distance of approximately 100m when both vessels were attacked simultaneously by the Somali pirates. Reacting quickly, Capricorn’s crew fled to previously rehearsed hiding spots on the yacht, buying them valuable time as their rescuer’s fought off the pirates.
After a fierce exchange of gunfire between the pirates and the escort vessel, there were no injuries reported on either side, and only minor damage to the vessels themselves. With a clear firepower advantage however, the Naval Guards quickly gained control of the situation and the pirates gave up.
This story has not received much attention because of all the other news going on out there. But because this blog tracks the security contracting industry, to include maritime security contracting, this stuff is relevant and deserves some attention.
If you go to Naval Guard’s website and check out their Alerts section, you will see all of the attacks they have had to deal with the last couple of months. I am not sure if this incident below is the only one in which they had an exchange of gun fire with pirates, but it does highlight the danger these companies face out there.
Also, a hat tip to gCaptain for getting some clarification on the story. Take note of the effective use of safe rooms and armed security. Safe rooms alone will not save the day. That safe room will buy you time and safety until an armed guard force from a nearby escort ship can clear the vessel of these heathens. Or if you actually had the armed guards on the boat, they would be even quicker to respond to attacks and even prevent some because of how close they are to the action. (these escorts were 100m away, and this attack still happened, and pirates still boarded!)
The other thing to mention here is the type of attack that happened. The pirates attacked the escort ship and the target vessel at the same time (a swarm attack, a distraction move, desperation, ignorance, who knows why?). I am thinking that the pirates were either desperate, or they felt if they could board the target vessel, that a private guard force would not take the risk and further endanger the lives of the crew with a rescue assault. They thought wrong, and Naval Guards and their client had a plan and they were prepared for such an assault. But I don’t know everything about this, and it would be cool to read a full blown AAR on this incident.
I am also going to guess that they probably did not know the intent of this attacking pirate force until it was too late. The rules of engagement-the shoot no shoot scenario-the policy written up between client and escort are all at play here. It would be interesting to hear how these pirates were able to get so close and act so quickly–did the escort vessel not see it, or were they restricted by the ROE? Mind you, companies cannot go on the offensive, and can only be used defensively. So this might have been a factor in why the pirates were able to attack and board so quickly. Thanks to George for sending me this. –Matt
Armed guards open fire as ship attacked off Yemen
March 03, 2011
A maritime news portal says armed guards stopped an attack on a Danish-owned vessel when they exchanged fire with suspected pirates.
Maritimedanmark.dk says no one was injured on the Singapore-registered Brattingborg that has a Thai crew in Thursday’s attack.
Shipowner Lars Steen Rasmussen was quoted as saying it was the first time the company had armed guards on one of its ships. He could not be reached for comments.
The attack comes days after suspected Somali pirates captured a Danish yacht in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier Thursday, the head of a private security company said his guards retook a yacht from Somali pirates after the Dutch couple on board locked themselves in a safe room.
Thomas Jakobsson of Naval Guards said Thursday that six of his guards were accompanying the Capricorn yacht on a separate motorboat. Six armed pirates were able to get aboard the Capricorn but the Dutch couple barricaded themselves in the boat.
Jakobsson says his men had a brief exchange of fire with the pirates before retaking the Capricorn with no casualties on either side.
Story here.
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Yacht crew rescued from pirate attack by private security firm
From the gCaptain
March 3rd 2011
Private security firm Naval Guards Ltd successfully rescued their Dutch clients on board M/Y Capricorn after it had been overrun by pirates in the central Arabian Sea yesterday. The crew of the 21-meter M/Y Capricorn had contracted Naval Guards Ltd to provide armed escort for their eastbound trip from Djibouti in the western Gulf of Aden, through the Arabian Sea.