On Sept. 9<\/a>, longtime Fort Worth-based defense contractor Elbit Systems of America adopted a new name, Twenty-Six Defense, a move that reflects the company\u2019s U.S.-focused identity, expanded domestic footprint and heritage.\u00a0<\/p>\n The name Twenty-Six draws inspiration from iron, element 26 on the periodic table, representing strength, resilience and durability, according to the company.\u00a0<\/p>\n It also gives the U.S. division of Israel-based Elbit Systems an identity that puts a focus on domestic design and onshore production, officials said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe name reflects what we are doing, and that\u2019s why we decided to do the change,\u201d Luke Savoie, president and CEO of Twenty-Six, told the Fort Worth Report. \u201cA lot of investment going on domestically in the U.S. We wanted to be very clear to our customers when they hear Twenty-Six Defense, they know it\u2019s for the U.S. by the U.S.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The rebranding was in process for three years after Savoie was named president and CEO in 2023. He served for a decade in the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command before working for various defense contractors.\u00a0<\/p>\n The rebranding journey also reflects the company\u2019s closer alignment with U.S. national security priorities and a focus on domestic manufacturing. It also led to a new mission statement: \u201cWe strengthen those who protect freedom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe were already there before the Department of War got there, in terms of being prepared to be on a wartime footing, supply chain resiliency, all these things,\u201d Savoie said. \u201cWe were in that mindset already because our partners are always in that mindset. It\u2019s in our DNA to always be thinking that way, to never take the day for granted, to never have single points of failure and always be looking for ways to deliver quicker. We\u2019re just naturally in that mode.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s a big move for Twenty-Six, whose parent company reported revenues of $7.94 billion with 20,537 employees worldwide. Twenty-Six represents about 21% of the parent company\u2019s revenue, just under $1.6 billion.\u00a0<\/p>\n Twenty-Six has been in Fort Worth since it acquired a 215,729-square-foot facility at 4700 Marine Creek Parkway from General Dynamics in 1993. That was when General Dynamics sold its aircraft division to Lockheed Martin. Since, Twenty-Six has grown to approximately 1,800 employees across 13 states with about 700 working in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n The company operates in several segments:\u00a0<\/p>\n Defense and military: Key products include the helmet-mounted displays, night vision systems, precision-guided seekers and laser targeting systems. In May, Twenty-Six received an order valued at $212 million to be the sole producer of the enhanced night vision goggles for the U.S. Army. The company has also developed SkyStriker, a fully autonomous suicide drone that operates as an unmanned aerial vehicle and can also be used like a missile.\u00a0 \u201cAt Twenty-Six Defense, we\u2019re committed to delivering affordable mass with combat-proven technology and American-built reliability,\u201d Savoie said. \u201cWe\u2019re building on our trusted legacy delivering helmet-mounted displays and cockpit solutions that fuse more information for our nation\u2019s airmen to be more lethal, with a range of effectors and precision seekers that dominate the modern fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Some of the products manufactured by Twenty-Six appear to be straight from science fiction, including see-through, head-mounted display technology that provides armored fighting vehicle operators 360-degree views from inside a closed-hatch vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Elbit Systems, the parent company, says it spends<\/a> 6.5% of its budget on research and development or about $500 million in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n There is more cutting-edge technology to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the lead on augmented reality and enhancement of the soldier’s effectiveness at night through night vision and thermal and the fusion of all of that,\u201d Savoie said. \u201cWe want to bring that information to the soldier in an augmented reality environment that\u2019s combat tested and resilient.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While Twenty-Six is a key part of North Texas\u2019 large defense economy, it often works as a supplier to other defense companies such as Bell or Lockheed Martin.\u00a0<\/p>\n Twenty-Six is part of a large and growing defense industry in North Texas. A new study on the economic and fiscal impact of the region\u2019s defense industry was recently released by the North Texas Commission. Conducted by The Perryman Group, the study finds the defense industry supports $35.3 billion in annual gross product, or the monetary value of all finished goods and services. The industry also supports 264,603 jobs across the 13-county Dallas-Fort Worth region. The industry also provides $1.76 billion in state tax revenue and $1.50 billion in local tax revenue.<\/p>\n Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nHomeland security and law enforcement: Surveillance and tactical support products. The company recently secured roughly $370 million from multiple contracts supporting U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
\nCommercial aviation: Avionics and flight instrumentation.
\nMedical instrumentation: Specialized technology components.\u00a0<\/p>\n