By Courtney E. Howard

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Agilent Technologies Inc. has acquired NetworkFab Corp., a designer and builder of signals intelligence, communications, and jammer systems for the U.S. military, intelligence agencies, and law-enforcement groups. Both companies are located in Santa Clara, Calif.

With this acquisition, Agilent, a provider of test and measurement solutions for aerospace, defense, and other applications, expands its presence in operational environments to support U.S. government prime contractors. NetworkFab has become part of Agilent’s recently formed Signal Networks Division, specifically targeted at delivering products and capabilities considered state-of-the-art by the U.S. government and prime contractors in the aerospace and defense market.

Agilent management’s interest in NetworkFab was motivated by its customers, familiar with NetworkFab’s technologies and products, who recommended it start working with the company on electronic warfare and signals intelligence solutions. NetworkFab’s core competencies center on radio-frequency communications, including direction finding, jamming, antenna design, networking, software design, and custom systems engineering.

“We look forward to becoming a more significant supplier of SIGINT and EW subsystems, and NetworkFab will help us become a major player in this market,” explains Tom Burrell, vice president and general manager of Agilent Technologies’ Signal Networks Division. “NetworkFab has technologies that are recognized as outstanding by technologists in the signal intelligence community.

“Agilent will focus on the evolution-some might say revolution-occurring in mobile wireless communications,” Burrell continues. “We regard electronic warfare and signals intelligence as growth segments of the industry. More importantly, in this information age, our customers need access to state-of-the-art tools and technology. With the acquisition of NetworkFab, Agilent is better able to provide those solutions.”

Burrell sees a significant need in the military and aerospace market for flexible software-enabled signals intelligence receivers. “NetworkFab has been working extensively in this area, and we will continue those efforts,” he notes. “We are confident in our ability to provide cost-effective solutions that will save lives.”

For more information, visit Agilent online at www.agilent.com.