Tobyhanna Army Depot Celebrates Seven Decades of Tatical Radio Excellence

Since its inception as a signal depot in 1953, Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) has been at the heart of military communications, providing tactical radio support to joint warfighters worldwide. Thanks to an unmatched reputation and enduring expertise, the organization remains a competitive and trusted force in the organic industrial base – even as new demands and technologies transform the battlefield.

Following World War II, the depot supported early portable and vehicle radios like the AN/PRC-6 and AN/ARC-27. These systems were essential for ground and airborne communications. Later, TYAD expanded its capabilities to handle more complex systems like the AN/VRC-12 system for armored vehicles, the AN/ARC-115 and the AN/ARC-51, which enhanced secure airborne communications. In recent decades, Tobyhanna has supported modernized equipment like the versatile, handheld AN/PRC-148 and the vehicle-mounted AN/VRC-104.

Today, TYAD is the source of supply for a significant new workload from Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR). Depot personnel and PM TR are working together to create radio installation kits (IK) for the Integrated Tactical Network. These IKs allow radios to be configured to different vehicles for different functionalities.

Logistics Management Specialist Kris Martin leads a unique team of 39 employees that are dedicated to executing workload for this customer. He feels the partnership has been very successful due to the team’s strategic collaboration.

“We are a critical partner to PM TR, not just in requirements execution, but we are also active participants in their weekly staff calls, planning discussions, fielding planning sessions, and sustainment planning,” Martin explained. “Just about all of the equipment that PM TR purchases and fields comes through our shops, so it is critical that both organizations are synchronized.”

The workload, expected to bring in around $90M in work this fiscal year, is comprised of fabrication efforts for Wheeled Vehicle Install Kits (WVIK), Stryker Brigade Combat Team Kits (SBCT), and Armored Brigade Combat Team Kits (ABCT). This year, the team plans to complete approximately 2,000 WVIKs, 1,040 SBCTs, and 1,280 ABCTs.

This cross-functional effort involves multiple teams, including production management, cable fabrication, engineering support, quality management, and sheet metal fabrication. By leveraging these diverse areas of expertise, Tobyhanna can provide comprehensive logistics service, underscoring its long-standing reputation as a trusted partner dedicated to high standards of reliability and performance.

“We’re organic,” noted Logistics Management Specialist Blake Small. “When the customer needs an adjustment on the fly, we’re there.”

This fabrication-based workload is a pivot from TYAD’s traditional capabilities. Depot artisans have completed specialized training in areas like soldering, cable fabrication, and welding to ensure they are equipped to meet the demands of the project.

Logistics Management Specialist William Brothers believes Tobyhanna’s hard-earned reputation as a proven leader in military communications electronics gives the organization a competitive edge in current and future markets.

“Over the years, kit quantities have gone up and we have taken on additional workloads in platforms other than wheeled vehicles,” Brothers emphasized. “Our past success makes us a viable option for future workload.”

Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications – Network Program Manager Dennis Teefy and several PM TR stakeholders visited on Nov. 26 to tour Tobyhanna’s modernized, cutting-edge facilities. During the visit, over 100 employees were recognized with certificates for their contributions to the mission’s success.

In his remarks, Teefy celebrated the team and referred to depot personnel as the “backbone of PM TR”.

“I’ve been visiting Tobyhanna for 13 years in one capacity or another and you have never let me down,” said Teefy. “The work each of you do individually is a critical component of our mission.”

Timothy Ivory, Chief of PM TR’s Product Support and Training Branch, has been an integral part of the relationship with TYAD since it began over ten years ago and anticipates continued growth in the future.

“Initially, this was a stock, store, and issue workload,” said Ivory. “Tobyhanna has grown with us significantly over the years as operations have expanded to include fabrication and utilization of engineering support. I expect us to continue to grow together as the resources, quality, and flexibility the depot offers beats industry.”

This developing workload is directly aligned with the TOBY 2035 corporate philosophy, specifically the C5ISR Readiness line of effort by advancing innovative solutions to ensure mission readiness.

Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.

Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.

About 3,200 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to deliver integrated C5ISR weapon systems, business systems, and medical sustainment to enable full spectrum combat operations at the point of need.