ATL Partners Forms Leading Space and Airborne Platform Lightridge Solutions

LightRidge Builds on ATL’s Deep Aerospace Sector Expertise and is Led by Seasoned Industry Veteran Bill Gattle

Announces Acquisition of Airborne Sensor Provider Ophir Corporation

ATL Partners today announced the formation of LightRidge Solutions (“LightRidge”), a portfolio company focused on the development, design and production of small, affordable, high-performance space and airborne sensors and payloads for vital national security needs.

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LightRidge is comprised of GEOST, LLC, a leading provider of high-end space payloads acquired by ATL in 2021. More recently, LightRidge acquired Ophir Corporation, which develops and manufactures advanced airborne laser radar sensors, in late 2022.

LightRidge is led by Bill Gattle, a 35-year industry veteran with experience successfully leading significant space and airborne businesses. Mr. Gattle was previously the President of L3 Harris Technologies’ Space business where he led L3 Harris Technologies’ breakout in next generation national security space programs.

“We are excited to announce the launch of LightRidge Solutions to drive growth and build a unique and nimble provider of mission critical technologies that address our most pressing national security needs. When we acquired GEOST in 2021, we started a process of building out an enterprise that provides time-critical knowledge to our customers through affordable, yet small, powerful and increasingly autonomous space and airborne sensors,” said Mike Kramer, Partner at ATL Partners and Chairman of the Board of LightRidge Solutions. “To that end, we are thrilled to work closely with Bill Gattle and his talented management team as we drive growth in the portfolio and look for highly strategic acquisitions that allow us to bring more capability and differentiated solutions.”

“I am excited by the opportunity to partner with ATL and introduce LightRidge’s existing affordable, high performance and small space and airborne sensors and payloads to new markets, technologies and missions,” stated Bill Gattle, Chief Executive Officer of LightRidge. “Together, LightRidge, GEOST and Ophir will offer the power of scale, operating synergies and access to capital for research and development and other investment needs. We are realizing our vision of providing affordable yet small, powerful and increasingly autonomous space and airborne sensors, space electronics and C4ISR solutions that provide time-critical knowledge for operational advantage.”

LightRidge’s newest acquisition, the Ophir Corporation, is a leader in high performance airborne advanced laser radar sensors. Those sensors are entrusted as mission critical systems on some of the most treasured military aircraft, including the B-2 stealth bomber and operate in remote, extremely challenging environments.

LightRidge’s operating unit GEOST provides affordable, high performance space payloads in small size, weight and power. Disruptive in novel technical, business and cost approaches, GEOST’s solutions are enabling distributed space architectures.

About LightRidge Solutions

LightRidge Solutions is a rapidly growing designer, developer and producer of small, affordable high-performance space and airborne sensors and payloads and ancillary technologies. Its operating units GEOST, LLC and Ophir Corporation have been chosen to fly on some of the most treasured defense and national security assets, solving our customers’ mission critical sensor and payload challenges for over 50 years. For more information about LightRidge Solutions, visit www.lightridgesolutions.com.

About ATL Partners

Founded in 2014, ATL Partners is a premier sector-focused private equity firm that invests in aerospace, transportation and logistics companies. ATL brings deep sector expertise to its investment approach with an experienced bench of investment professionals and network of operating resources who have decades of experience and extensive relationships in each of ATL’s core sectors. For more information about ATL Partners, visit www.atlpartners.com.

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