[Premium-Rx] WJ / DRS Gaithersburg is closed

[Terry O']

My sources tell me all the documents went to a secure disposal service.  
This includes manuals as well as an extensive collection of photographs 
and negatives going back to the founding of Communication Electronics in 
1960, seven years prior to the acquisition by Watkins-Johnson.

I told many engineers and salesmen, as well as on one occasion the 
division manager, that these materials should go to the Smithsonian or 
the National Archives.  Corporate concerns about breaches of security 
and potential damage to their business relationships trumped preservation.

Terry O'
http://Watkins-Johnson.terryo.org
http://BlackRadios.terryo.org




On 1/26/2015 1:29 PM, Steve Pappin via Premium-Rx wrote:
> It's official: DRS / Watkins-Johnson Gaithersburg MD is closed. 
> Everything is gone. According to Chris Biddix they scrapped 
> everything, hardware, replacement parts, demo units, chassis, and all 
> of the printed material. If it was physical it was either crushed or 
> incinerated. Chris is going to ask if any of it went to surplus 
> dealers but we doubt it. I placed a bid on the demo units last year 
> but management decided that the liability was too great. All that 
> remains of WJ is intellectual property. The building is up for sale. 
> There will be no more new factory replacement parts for WJ radios.
>
> DRS will continue to build the new radios for UAV's and Command 
> Centers. None of them have front panels! So any new radios offered 
> will be:
> a. Expensive
> b. Network Appliances controlled by host computers
> c. Require system integration
>
> Best Regards,
> Steve