Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA –
It is no secret that the goal of any organic industrial base (OIB) installation is to equip and sustain the joint warfighter in support of military operations, fulfilling the Army’s goals for transformation and readiness. For more than 70 years, Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) has taken that mission and made it uniquely its own. Not only does the installation strive to be the best value for the warfighter, but it prides itself on providing first-rate customer service. At TYAD, there is no work without customer collaboration. This multifaceted, novel approach has elevated the concept of depot maintenance and makes TYAD an in-demand provider of command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) readiness services across the DoD.
Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post-production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales, and global field support to our joint warfighters.
“Team Tobyhanna is the jewel of the organic industrial base,” says retired Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II. “Their ground-breaking methods ensure warfighters across the world are equipped to be all they can be.” Edmonson is the former commanding general of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), TYAD’s higher headquarters.
Transition to Sustainment Support
While the traditional depot maintenance model sees sustainment providers as hands off until the workload officially transitions, TYAD works closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and program management offices (PMOs) even before a depot source of repair (DSOR) is announced. Each program has a dedicated project manager to monitor the transition to sustainment, charged with working with the PMO/OEM and a cross-functional team of peers across the depot to ensure TYAD can exceed customer expectations.
“We don’t wait for a perfectly wrapped package to arrive on our doorsteps the first day the work is available to us,” says Michael Sherin, head of the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Engineering Division. “TYAD works proactively with OEMs and PMOs to lay the groundwork for a successful transition to sustainment. Our support is truly from cradle to grave.”
TYAD supports the AN/TPQ-53, a counterfire target acquisition radar that identifies and tracks mortars, rockets, and artillery. The radar, developed by an OEM, is in its first version. Subsequent versions will transition to sustainment in 2026. TYAD personnel are already working closely with the OEM and the PMO to provide organic support and gain institutional knowledge vital for successful overhaul missions on the variants in coming years. This future-focused approach benefits all involved — especially the joint warfighter, according to Depot Commander Col. James L. Crocker: “By working closely with the PMO and OEM on the AN/TPQ-53, Team Tobyhanna can ensure we provide the very best support possible, and ensure our warfighters experience minimal system downtime. Our efforts directly impact the readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces.”
Dozens of pre-production initiatives are currently underway to prepare for the formal arrival of all four variants of the AN/TPQ-53, including repair support for the system’s critical Octapack transmit/receive module. Part of the AN/TPQ-53’s antenna, the Octapack is a high-failure item that is not readily available within the supply chain. This poses a serious issue for current and future users of the AN/TPQ-53.
Depot personnel sprang into action after learning about the Octapack issue, quickly setting up a screening process to identify reparable parts that could be used for cross-leveling. Sherin notes that the effort was critical to the asset’s overall readiness: “Because Octapacks fail often and are no longer in production, Tobyhanna’s repair and return program keeps the AN/TPQ-53 running, which means warfighters in the field consistently have the equipment they need.” He adds that TYAD is supporting a similar effort for AN/TPQ-37 amplifier modules to support readiness needs for partner nations, which has resulted in more than $60 million in cost savings.
Innovative Technology Centers
Technology centers can be found across TYAD and serve as a way to optimize operations. Although the concept of a technology center may not be new, TYAD’s approach to the concept is on the forefront of innovation.
Instead of being sorted by individual system, TYAD’s technology centers are consolidated in terms of technology commonality. By co-locating depot personnel by technology instead of system designation, personnel are not functionally siloed. This allows for simultaneous execution of projects with increased personnel efficiency. Technology centers benefit all parties involved: production floor employees gain the opportunity to work on a variety of assets and build stronger relationships across the organization; support personnel are positioned at the point of use for instantaneous collaboration and problem-solving; and customers benefit from a workforce that is increasingly well rounded and equipped to develop processes in a low-risk, high-reward atmosphere. The concept is enthusiastically supported by depot leadership, especially first-line leaders.
As many are aware, supply chain constraints are a serious issue across the OIB as a whole. As is the Tobyhanna way, this issue is tackled head on. One mission of the technology center is to find creative ways to use existing unserviceable assets. For example, depot personnel can reclaim parts of only semi-functional systems to create a completely operational one. TYAD is proactive in its work, not only because that is best for the warfighter but because it is what customers expect.
Customer Relationship Management
A world-class business such as TYAD could not operate without customers to drive the workload. The customer motivates depot artisans to devise new and creative methods to best support our nation’s warfighters.
At TYAD, customers are so much more than numbers in a spreadsheet. From the very beginning, working relationships are constructed to show partners exactly what depot personnel can perform. Being involved in the process early helps inform customers to shape sustainment requirements, best approaches to stand up capability, and options for support so the program can hit the ground running when it is time. This is unlike traditional depot maintenance where problems are not addressed until the system has already arrived on the doorstep.
Personnel at the depot champion cooperative relationships as early as possible to ensure PMOs and other customers can streamline the transition to sustainment process and access the vast capabilities possessed by depot employees. Participating actively in the transition to sustainment allows TYAD to plan accordingly for every aspect of the sustainment strategy before the workload even arrives. This strategy establishes strong bonds between stakeholders and allows for meaningful and efficient repair processes, which are established well in advance of their actual need.
TYAD’s Strategic Initiatives Office (SIO) personnel provide full-scale support to customers before, during, and after DSOR decisions. They also serve as the project managers during the transition to sustainment and are considered the depot’s experts in the public-private partnership process. SIO personnel report that the effort to manage customer relationships pales in comparison to the return on investment.
Expansive Radar Testing Campus
With more than 300 engineers in its workforce, TYAD can support all the technical needs of its customers. Possessing an agile and expansive radar campus, the organization provides testing in support of its current programs and customers. It can also work with OEMs, PMOs, and other customers to provide testing for their equipment in all stages of development through public-private partnerships.
Tobyhanna’s radar campus rivals that of the OEMs who manufacture the equipment. It includes near-field and far-field ranges and multiple radomes for weather-independent, year-round testing capability. The depot’s remote location deep in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania experiences minimal 5G interference, providing an optimal location for a variety of testing needs. The location is rapidly growing thanks to a modernization effort that will further expand Tobyhanna’s radar campus.
James Wisnewski, chief of TYAD’s Public Works Division, says that in 2026, “Tobyhanna will embark on a major military construction project to expand our electromagnetic frequency range. The project will result in the construction of new facilities and will also provide upgrades to our existing facilities, to include the addition of a new test site with two outdoor test pads and four additional outdoor test pads to complement our current infrastructure.”
James Dominick, TYAD’s AN/TPQ-53 pre-production transition team leader, says the depot’s focus on the transition to sustainment is a recipe for success, especially for the in-demand radar system. He adds, “By integrating a team consisting of logisticians, engineers, production personnel and the OEM, we collectively executed a highly successful organic transition of a state-of-the-art radar platform.”
Lt. Col. Marcella Duncan, product manager of multi-mission surveillance systems (M2S2), has praised the depot’s support of the AN/TPQ-53: “TYAD is a comprehensive service provider for the AN/TPQ-53 and AN/TPQ-50 radars — a one-stop shop. They offer a full range of services from the design phase through transition to sustainment, ensuring continuous support. They serve as our ‘Radar Center of Excellence.’ Our partnership with TYAD, CECOM, and the OEM ensures the M2S2 product office delivers and maintains the best capable radars for the warfighter.”
Edmonson adds, “The work being performed at Tobyhanna epitomizes the Army’s motto, ‘This We’ll Defend.’ They recognize the importance of ensuring our warfighters are well equipped and ready to fight, all while taking pride and accountability in their efforts. They continually redefine the meaning of traditional depot maintenance, all in the name of providing the absolute best for our people out in the field.”
TYAD’s extraordinary workforce, modernized facilities, and extensive technical capabilities can support the readiness needs of every customer. TYAD’s active-array testing site is the only organic test range that replicates the capabilities of OEMs.
TYAD is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for C5ISR systems across the DoD. Tobyhanna’s corporate philosophy, dedicated work force, and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.