Security Sector Rise Makes Aurora Shine

Aurora Tactical LLC, a night-vision equipment integrator and tactical-weapons distributor in Springdale, is on the verge of offering its own high-end digital night-vision devices that leverage new technology.

Traditional night-vision goggles and infrared scopes use image intensifier tubes to let users see in the dark. But Aurora plans to replace the tubes in its products with “complimentary metal oxide silicon intensifiers” (CMOS). The CMOS technology offers cutting-edge visibility in extremely low-light conditions.

Ron Witherspoon, the company’s president, said intensifier tubes have been improved and improved until “every bit of new technology has been squeezed out of them.” CMOS and charged couple device (CCD) products are the next generation.

The eventual goal, Witherspoon said, is to fuse those technologies with thermal imaging devices used by military and police entities to produce a device that simultaneously offers detection and identification capabilities. The cutting-edge system would also allow things to be seen in color.

“Business has been booming since the September 11 attacks on America,” Witherspoon said. “We’ve had some things on back order for six months, and we normally have the best equipment at the best price in stock for immediate delivery.

“That’s often a lot of hard-to-find items.”

Aurora does $2 million in annual revenue through federal clients such as the Navy, Marine Corps, Secret Service, Department of Energy and Drug Enforcement Agency, as well as numerous local and state police agencies.

Aurora also carries a full line of day scopes made by Aimpoint, Nightforce and Leupold. And as a Class III weapons dealer, it sells tactical weapons including .50-caliber machine guns, special light anti-material rifles (SLAMR) and heavy anti-material rifles (HAMR) for a variety of applications.

Witherspoon, a Fayetteville native, founded Aurora in 1999 through a merger of his Lifeguard Electronics Inc. of Adair, Okla., and Redick Arms Development Inc. in Rogers. Lifeguard did the night-vision technology and Redick offered the weapons component.

The company employs six full-time people including Witherspoon, who got into the electronic surveillance business during the 1970s. He started with Mid America Energy Systems Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which made surveillance systems, alarms and energy control systems. Mostly, the company was involved with perimeter monitoring systems.

About a half dozen firms at that time made intensifier tubes that enabled night-vision devices. Based on today’s dollars, Witherspoon said, the modern version of similar equipment is available for about one third of the cost and it’s a much higher quality.

He got out of the industry for eight years to run a cattle ranch but missed the business and found a niche by traveling to Russia. He discovered that night-vision systems could be purchased there for 10 cents on the U.S. dollar.

Because of the price difference, Witherspoon said he knew there would be a consumer market for the basic systems in America. So he started importing the first-generation night-vision systems to the states. Although they were only equivalent to 1960s U.S. technology, he sold thousands of units.

Miles Eggart, Aurora’s director of marketing, said the Raptor 6X night-vision scope used with .50-caliber weapons by the military is its highest-end product. It picks up ambient and infrared light, which is naked to the human eye.

ITT Industries in White Plains, N.Y., and Northrop Grumman’s night-vision division in Tempe, Ariz., manufacture the technology used for Aurora’s night-vision equipment. Raytheon of Dallas provides the thermal technology for thermal imaging.

“Ron has had so much success because he was one of the first to get into the market and he has more extensive knowledge of night vision and thermal technology than most anyone else in the business,” Eggart said. “He’s the guru.”