Albuquerque has a rich history of fostering an environment for technology and innovation, starting with the partnership between Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Laboratory in the late 1940s. Now, more than 70 years later, BlueHalo has entered the scene with a breadth of innovative capabilities and products designed to lead the transformation of modern warfare.
The spirit of innovation
BlueHalo is purpose-built to provide industry-leading capabilities across several domains, including space superiority, space technology, directed energy/counter-unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence and more. Through inspired engineering, they develop, transition and field next-generation solutions to meet the most complex challenges of their customers’ critical missions.
Innovation is at the heart of BlueHalo’s mission, growth and success. For them, every solution begins with a new idea, technology or perspective with potential to solve our nation’s most important challenges. Their recent expansion to New Mexico reflects their commitment to push industry norms, too. “New Mexico is a hub of cutting-edge R&D and technological advancement,” says Dan Gillings, sector president and general manager of BlueHalo Labs. “As BlueHalo looked to expand its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, Albuquerque became a clear choice for its spirit of innovation and wealth of resources along with the strong support from local, regional, state and federal officials.”
The impact of innovation
There’s no question that BlueHalo is helping to solidify New Mexico’s place at the forefront of research, development and the demonstration of emerging technologies. With its rapid growth, expansion and a transition to manufacturing, they are creating and supporting a thriving innovation ecosystem in Albuquerque alongside customers and partners at Kirtland Air Force Base, Sandia Science and Technology Park and elsewhere.
“We are fortunate to have strong partnerships with leaders from across New Mexico and the local Albuquerque community as we partner to transform the state into a hub of space technology,” says Jonathan Moneymaker, BlueHalo’s CEO. “These partnerships – along with our investments in leading facilities and a strong workforce – will enable BlueHalo to not only meet the demand for current products and programs but to collaborate, innovate and develop our nation’s next technological breakthroughs critical to national security.”
BlueHalo’s new facility is up and running on Gibson Boulevard, and another is in the works on Eubank Boulevard. They are excited to engage with local partners on new projects such as the Air Force Research Laboratory’s innovations in laser communications and in modeling, simulation, analysis and wargaming (MSA&W). They are also focused on rapid transition to manufacturing for BlueHalo products across multiple mission areas, including advanced radio frequency (RF) systems; counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) and directed energy systems; and space-qualified electronics and systems, such as stabilized precision optics and tracking (SPOT) products. Ultimately, their work has impacts far beyond Albuquerque, and will help the U.S. maintain strategic advantages on the ground and in space.
The importance of innovation for tomorrow and beyond
While innovation is critical to BlueHalo’s mission of protecting and defending our nation, they also harness that spirit of innovation to impact the communities they call home. As a company, they believe in paying it forward and proudly support the efforts of employees, individuals and organizations that serve the needs of others in the community.
In New Mexico, BlueHalo Serves – the company’s employee volunteer initiative – supports STEM initiatives and provides supplies, donations and mentorship to Technology Leadership High School, local robotics teams, and competitions such as the STEAMhack™ Chain Reaction Challenge. They support other worthy causes, educational institutions and organizations focused on making Albuquerque and New Mexico an even better place to live and work.
Along with their community partnerships, BlueHalo has partnered with several local businesses to make their vision come to life in Albuquerque. For their recent expansion, they partnered with NAI SunVista, architecture firm Dekker/Perich/Sabatini and construction consultants from Klinger Constructors LLC. But that’s not where BlueHalo’s local partnerships stop. They also share an affiliation with Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union. BlueHalo recognized that SLFCU is successful at what they do not only because they are financial experts, but also because they focus on relationships, making them a great local partner today and long into the future.
Interested in a financial institution where your money will work smarter? Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union is local and has money to lend. We’d be pleased to be a part of your story. Contact Casey Bresnahan for personalized, expert service at CBresnahan@slfcu.org.
