The US subsidiary, Kleos Space Inc (Kleos US), will provide Kleos access to government funding and projects that are otherwise restricted to US entities, for example the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding, the US Air Force Accelerator program or other grants from other US federal defence projects that contribute to scientific or technological advances.
The SBIR program accelerates development and production of promising technologies that can be utilised by the US Department of Defense, which enables small businesses and start-ups to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from its commercialisation.
The US subsidiary will continue Kleos’ existing work with the USAF Catalyst Accelerator and SBIR, leveraging the achievements of its SBIR Phase 1 contract with the aim of securing a Phase 2 contract, which includes SBIR funding of up to US$3 million through US technology accelerator Ithaca Solutions.
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The Kleos Scouting Mission 1 is on track to launch from Chennai, India, in the fourth quarter of 2019 and Kleos US enhances Kleos’ marketing strategy to target the US$692 billion US national security budget (Bryce 2019).
Karyn Hayes-Ryan, head of Kleos US strategy, has been appointed director of Kleos US. A former intelligence community and Department of Defense senior executive, Hayes-Ryan is highly experienced in ISR as well as Federal Acquisition Regulation, procurement and integration.
She said, "A US entity in the world’s largest defence market allows us to work closely with government agencies to improve the US’ international maritime surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, supporting its defence services both locally and abroad.
"A local enterprise with appropriate security clearance, innovation and technical capability also provides opportunities to collaborate on funded projects with defence entities within the national security framework."
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Kleos executive chairman, Air Commodore (Ret'd) Peter Round, will act as interim CEO of Kleos US while a US citizen is recruited. Round has more than 30 years’ military experience as well as five years as the European Defence Agency capability and technology director, he was on the board of UKMFTS, the largest UK PPP, and experience of directorship in a US corporation.
Kleos Space (ASX: KSS) is a space enabled, activity-based intelligence, data as a service company based in Luxembourg. Kleos Space aims to guard borders, protect assets and save lives by delivering global activity-based intelligence and geolocation as a service.
The first Kleos Space satellite system, known as Kleos Scouting Mission (KSM), will deliver commercially available data and perform as a technology demonstration.
KSM will be the keystone for a later global high capacity constellation. The Scouting Mission will deliver targeted daily services with the full constellation delivering near-real time global observation.
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