DALLASTOWN, Pa. — A York-area division of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. is joining the fight against COVID-19. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions develops and fields transformative technology, platforms, and systems for United States National Security related customers, allies, and commercial enterprises.
Kratos C5ISR Modular Systems—which includes Gichner Systems Group, located in Dallastown, York County—is building mobile laboratory units to deploy with the National Guard and reinforce COVID-19 testing.
The primary purpose of the Defense’s Analytical Laboratory System (ALS) is to detect or identify a wide range of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive materials in environmental samples.
These mobile units have been adapted to conduct clinical, rapid testing in support of COVID-19 response efforts and are being deployed to the epicenters of the pandemic within the United States to provide additional laboratory capacity.
“Now that the country is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re so pleased to have our technology deployed with the National Guard to increase the critical laboratory capability in some of the hardest hit areas,” explained Tom Mills, President of Kratos’ C5ISR Division.
The mobile laboratory units are being stationed outside COVID-19 testing sites. Healthcare workers take swab samples and deliver them directly to the vehicle. Inside, National Guard technicians test the samples, and within minutes, they have the results.
“That’s the critical aspect of these systems,” said Mills. “The test samples provide immediate feedback to the medical workers on whether or not they are positive or negative.”
Units have been deployed to Los Angeles, California, Seattle, Washington and New York City—some of the hardest hit areas. The company is looking to hire 75 to 100 more employees to help reinforce COVID-19 testing and jumpstart the economy.
“The most important thing to us is to know that when we come into work every given day, what we are doing is directly helping combat this virus,” added Mills. “This testing, as we heard from the experts, is the most important thing we can do to start opening up the economy.”
If you are interested in applying for Kratos’ C5ISR Division in Dallastown, York County, visit their website here.