Manufactured in Montgomery County: Thales Defense & Security, Inc. Expands Its Clarksburg Facility
For more than six decades, Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thales U.S.A., has supported critical national security missions, delivering advanced communications, intelligence, surveillance, and defense technologies to military and government customers around the world. Last week, the company deepened its commitment to Montgomery County, Maryland, with a significant expansion of its manufacturing operations in Clarksburg.
Over the last year, TDSI doubled its manufacturing floor footprint in Clarksburg through a $4 million investment, reinforcing Montgomery County’s growing role as a hub for advanced manufacturing and defense technology innovation.
A leading U.S. supplier of tactical radio and SATCOM communications, EW/SIGINT kits, tactical power, Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (HMCS), mounted/dismounted EO/IR sensors, missile fusing, cyber protection technology and Anti-Submarine Warfare sonars, TDSI’s expansion comes as the company continues to experience substantial growth, serving branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Department of Homeland Security, other federal agencies, and global security partners.
Today, TDSI employs approximately 675 people in the County, including roughly 250 manufacturing employees. Over the past three years, TDSI’s Montgomery County workforce has grown by more than 225 positions, reflecting the company’s continued investment in its production and advanced manufacturing capabilities.
Across its facilities in Clarksburg and Germantown, TDSI now operates approximately 237,000 square feet of production, testing, assembly, machining, repair, warehouse, and logistics space in Montgomery County.
That growth extends beyond the company’s own operations. TDSI spends more than $65 million annually with suppliers across Maryland, supporting a broader network of businesses and jobs throughout the state.
“Those numbers matter because they show the direct connection between workforce growth, regional investment, and national security readiness,” said Mike Sheehan, President & CEO of TDSI. “The technologies developed, produced, integrated and supported here in Clarksburg serve missions across all the joint forces.”
TDSI’s latest expansion underscores Montgomery County’s growing importance as a center for defense and advanced technology manufacturing. The County’s highly skilled workforce, proximity to federal agencies, and robust ecosystem of technology companies continue to attract investment from companies like Thales that are developing solutions to some of the nation’s most complex challenges.
