Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. (“TADS”) is a fully-reporting, publicly-traded Aerospace/Defense Contractor listed on the OTCBB under the ticker symbol TADF.
TADS offers Tactical Flight Training, Aircraft Maintenance, Air-to-Air Refueling, Aerial Fire-Fighting, and Disaster Relief Services to the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. approved Allied Countries, and to other Federal and State Agencies. TADS is certified by the United States Government as a private-sector military contractor and has been granted the required security clearances.
Founded in 2001, TADS has created an unparalleled organization of experienced military and aviation personnel with which to operate its specialty aerial support services business . With access to U.S. military aircraft such as F-16 and F-5 fighter aircraft, and Russian military aircrafts such as ILyushin IL-78 and IL-76 Super-Tankers, Mig-17 fighter aircraft, and Sukhoi SU-27 fighter aircraft, and with its highly experienced military pilots, proprietary training and maintenance protocols and its position as the first private-sector defense contractor to receive certification and clearance from the U.S. government to provide these services, TADS has established itself as a leader in the rapidly growing industry of government outsourcing of aerospace/defense services to the private sector.
Company Timeline
July 2002 – TADS is the first commercial company to provide Tactical Fighter support to the Royal Canadian Air Force. TADS began a program flying Hawker Hunter and A-4 Skyhawk fighter aircraft as adversary bandits in training Air Combat Maneuvers and Electronic Counter Measure training, similar as to the TopGun School that the U.S. Navy provides to U.S. pilots.
June 2003 – TADS is the first commercial company to be given approval from the U.S. Department of State and SAF/IA (Secretary of the Air Force-International Affairs) to provide a first test-trial of F-16 Operational Detachment Support Training for Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) pilots and ground maintenance crews.
January 2004 – Second test-trial approved by the U.S. Department of State and SAF/IA for TADS to provide F-16 Operational Detachment Support Training for RNLAF pilots and ground maintenance crews, which 3-month training exercise was unprecedented as it was the longest period that the RNLAF had conducted this type of training within the United States.
May 2005 through 2007 – Aerogroup is awarded and executes a contract from the United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF) via the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC), to provide ground handling and maintenance support for UK –AWACS aircraft at CRTC-Savannah, Shaw AFB, and the Beaufort, S.C. USMC base.
January 2007 – is contracted through U.S. Army-RDECOM/CASU to provide pilot training and other aircraft services.
December 2007 – TADS executes an exclusive lease arrangement to lease the only Soviet ILyushin IL-78 Super-Tanker aircraft available in the U.S.
March 2008 through January 2009 – TADS provides F-16 pilot training to the Belgian Air Force at the Kleine-Brogel Air Base in Belgium via a contract awarded through U.S. Air Force – Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
July 2009 – TADS is awarded a commercial contract to deploy its ILyushin IL-78 Super-Tanker aircraft to the Middle-East to provide Air-to-Air Refueling research and development services.
Tactical Flight Training
Air Combat Training
TADS has designed its DACT program to provide the most realistic and applicable military aviation training in the world by utilizing a fleet of adversary aircraft that an air force would encounter in a true combat situation DACT simulates the roles of potential enemies of the US and allied militaries by using real world tactics of enemy air forces.
The company has positioned itself to operate fighter jets such as the MiG-29 and Sukhoi SU-27 fighters which are rarely, if ever, used in commercially outsourced combat training however are commonly flown by potential enemies of the United States and allied governments during conflict. The use of true potential adversary aircraft like the MiG-29 and Sukhoi SU-27 by TADS offers its clients significantly more realistic training than can be provided by using modified American planes. Other aircraft that will be utilized in TADS DACT program will include the F- 16, A-4 Skyhawk and L-39 aircraft.
TADS training missions offer our clients the ability to extend the duration of their mission by providing aerial refueling services utilizing lluyshiin-78 tankers. This element of TADS training program is unique and provides our pilots with valuable experience in a true combat refueling situation by extending “on station” times for the fighters which significantly increases the amount of training that can be conducted on a single sortie. This capability reduces “dead head” time associated with transiting to and from training areas and greatly improves the efficiency and reduces the cost of training programs.
Flight Training
In addition to offering the most advanced Dissimilar Air Combat Training available, TADS’ experienced personnel will provide flight training and operational support for pilots of US and allied air forces.
Growing international training requirements as well as an increasing foreign supply of F-16 fighters have caused the demand for F-16 training services to rise dramatically. As pressure on the US Government’s F-16 training resources continues to mount, Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. addresses the increasing demand for outsourced commercial F-16 Flight Training services by foreign allied governments.
TADS' Flight Training and Operational Support services include:
- Pilot Training: Initial and Advanced Courses
- Night Vision Goggle (NVG) training
- Ground Handling Services
- Deployment Coordination
- Range Scheduling
- EW/EC- Electronic Warfare and Electronic Countermeasure
- Simulators
Close Air Support Training
Close air support (CAS) is the use of military aircraft in a round-attack role against enemy ground forces that are in close proximity to friendly forces. This type of operation requires the most detailed coordination with the movement of ground troops and is typically conducted by Forward Air Controllers (FAC) or Joint Terminal Attack Controllers. The use of CAS during wartime can prove to be a critical strategic military tactic that has a serious impact on the outcome of ground warfare.
Tactical Air Defense Services plans to be the first commercial aviation training provider to offer a comprehensive close air support training program. In order to provide the most realistic and effective CAS training services, TADS will develop custom training plans that are designed in collaboration with its clients and provide instructional services as well as CAS aircraft. TADS will also provide qualified FACs as pilots for training missions.
TADS plans to utilize modern military aircraft and the latest technology in this critical area of joint warfare tactics. The CAS program will include the following:
- Night “aided” CAS training using Night Vision Goggles (NVG)
- Practice bombs
- Aircraft smoke generators for FAC/JTAC visual acquisition
- Multi-service Digital CAS training
- Infrared and low light level targeting pods
- Laser spot tracking capability
- UHF capability
- Satellite downlinking of targeting pod visuals to ground forces
All close air support training will be conducted at the Grayson County Airport's facilities and nearby military ranges, unless otherwise directed by the customer.
Mid-Air Refueling
Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. will provide mid-air refueling services for its contracted clients as well as its own training missions by utilizing the only Iluyshin 78 refueling tankers in North America. The IL-78 is a superior cargo/tanker aircraft that is capable of refueling three aircraft simultaneously during flight in contrast to other air refueler tankers such as the Boeing 707-300 which can refuel only one aircraft at a time. This establishes TADS as having access to one of the most efficient aerial refueling tankers in the world.
Mid-air refueling capabilities optimize an aircraft’s resource utilization by eliminating its need to land for refueling. Typically, a fighter plane that can fly for four hours can extend its flying time indefinitely by refueling in mid air. This increases the planes’ combat reach, limited only by pilot endurance, which is crucial for long range missions. This improved aircraft utilization and efficiency significantly improves the attractiveness and viability of the full spectrum of TADS’ combat training programs.
Disaster Relief
The IL-78 tankers, while designed for aerial refueling, have “waterbombing” capabilities that allow them to provide disaster relief services such as extinguishing wildfires by flying overhead at low altitudes and dispersing water or fire retardant. The company will have a designated number of IL-76 cargo aircraft or IL-78 tankers on contract with federal and state agencies to provide these services with minimum notification.
Hundreds of thousands of acres of forests and grassland are destroyed each year by wildfires and an effective aerial solution has been sought after by US government agencies for years. This aircraft has been used to extinguish one of the largest wildfires in Australia and has been used globally for years in such disaster relief situations.
Planes
Iluyshin-78
The Iluyshin-78 is an aerial refueling tanker that is fitted with three NATO standard external refueling units, giving it the ability to refuel three aircraft simultaneously. The IL-78 allows Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc. to significantly extend the length of training exercises and long range missions without its aircraft having to land for refueling.
TADS will operate the only Iluyshin-78 tankers available in the United States and become the only commercial provider in the world. The IL-78 airplane, based on the airframe of the IL-76MD military freighter, can carry a maximum cargo compartment payload of 48,000 kg and has the capability to transport water which can be dispersed from the aircraft to fight natural disasters such as wildfires.
A-4 SkyHawk
The A-4 Skyhawk is a lightweight single engine attack aircraft considered to be one of the most effective and versatile light attack aircraft ever produced. The A-4 was originally designed to operate from United States Navy aircraft carriers in the early 1950’s and nearly 3,000 Skyhawks produced remain in service.
Currently, the A-4 Skyhawk is operated by the Argentine Air Force, the Brazilian Navy, the Indonesian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Kuwaiti Air Force, and Republic of Singapore Air Force, the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Additionally, the United States Marine Reserve has two squadrons of A-4s with 12 aircraft each.
L-39
The L-39, short for Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros, is a high performance, low-wing, aircraft designed to become a standard jet trainer. The L-39 was built in the late 1960’s as the successor to the L-29 Delfin and its design combined an efficient, powerful turbofan engine with a sleek, streamlined fuselage, resulting in a strong, economical performance aircraft. After initial production, the aircraft went on to be a great success with the Soviet, Czech and East German air forces, among others.
The L-39 is a widely used aircraft due to several factors. The aircraft has excellent handling characteristics within the whole flight envelope and outstanding visibility from both cockpits. It is also an aircraft that is very easy to maintain and service and is known for its low operational cost and high reliability.
The practical suitability of L-39 aircraft for training tasks is demonstrated daily in the military service of more than 30 Air Forces in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The entire L-39 fleet, covering more than 2,800 delivered L-39 aircraft worldwide, has accumulated over 4,000,000 flying hours. TADS is positioning itself to utilize L-39’s for its new Close Air Support (CAS) training exercises.
Management
ALEXIS C. KORYBUT, President & CEO
Mr. Korybut has brought to TADF a wealth of corporate, administrative, and financial management experience in both the domestic and international arenas, having achieved success at some of the most respected firms in the financial services industry such as Salomon Brothers and Smith Barney where he worked with both private and public companies to raise capital through the international debt and equity markets.
Mr. Korybut has also been the Managing Partner of Plumtree Capital Management LLC, a public-venture fund management firm since 2005, and the Managing Partner of Plumtree Consulting Group LLC, a firm offering consulting services to high-growth public companies, since 2008. From 1999 through 2004, Mr. Korybut was President of Sterling Financial Group of Companies, Inc, a Florida-based financial services firm with offices throughout the United States, Europe, and Latin America. His management expertise and strategic guidance enabled Sterling Financial to be recognized in 2002 and 2003 by Inc. Magazine as the 8th and 26th fastest growing privately-held company in the United States, respectively, and as the number one fastest growing privately-held company in the State of Florida over the same period.
Mr. Korybut received a BA from Georgetown University in 1988 and an MBA in finance from the University of Michigan Business School in 1994. In addition to his native English, Mr. Korybut speaks French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Mike 'Ratso' Cariello, Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Cariello is one of the most renowned pilots to have served in the U.S. military in recent decades. He has flown civilian and military aircraft for over 30 years, and has accumulated over 9,000 flight-hours, mostly in high performance jet fighters such as, F/A-18, F-16, A-4 Skyhawk. Mr. Cariello has a distinguished career having served in the U.S. Marine Corp for some 14 years. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1998 following his 3 year appointment as Adversary Officer at the Top Gun Fighter Weapons School for the Navy and Marine Corps. Mr. Cariello has also served as the 767 Program Manager and Pilot for Blackwater Inc., one of the largest U.S. Defense contractors in Iraq from July 2005 through December 2007.
Mr. Cariello’s reputation and his experience in all facets of air combat training and adversary programs has brought a level of professionalism and credibility to TADF that has been recognized and lauded by our past, current, and potential customers.