- C Speed names Dave Abel CEO to help expand radar and domain awareness capabilities
- Abel brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in public sector technology
- The 2026 Army Summit on June 18 will cover AI, the tactical edge and air defense topics
C Speed has appointed Dave Abel, a public sector technology executive, as its CEO.
The latest leadership move at C Speed comes as government and industry leaders continue to focus on the technologies, partnerships and strategies shaping the future defense landscape. At the 2026 Army Summit on June 18, military and industry leaders will discuss topics such as the hyperconnected battlefield, AI, reconfigurable air defense, cost-effective fires and the future of the tactical edge. Register today to reserve your seat and connect with leaders from across the defense community.
The company said Wednesday Abel succeeds Kevin McLaughlin and brings over three decades of leadership experience at several public sector tech companies as C Speed looks to scale its capabilities for defense, federal and international customers amid growing demand for domain awareness capabilities across air, ground, sea and space.
“Dave has spent his career delivering technology that meets the highest standards in regulated, mission-critical environments. He understands what’s at stake for the agencies and partners we serve, and he knows how to build companies that scale to meet that demand,” said Andy Maner, executive chairman of C Speed.
Who Is Dave Abel?
Abel is a transformation leader who has led companies through platform expansion, growth and transformation efforts in mission-critical markets over the course of his career.
Before C Speed, he was CEO of Aventiv Technologies, which develops consumer and government enterprise technology platforms in support of public safety missions.
He was also the co-founder of Prime Vector. His industry career included serving as managing partner for IBM’s global business services, with a focus on the U.S. public sector and healthcare, and as a partner at PwC.
“We’re delivering precise, early-warning domain awareness that operators count on. And we’re investing in the talent and development that keep us ahead of what the mission demands,” Abel said. “The C Speed people are why this technology performs, and my job is to make sure we deliver at the speed and scale this market needs.”
What Is C Speed?
C Speed is a NewSpring Holdings platform company that develops radar systems and engineering technologies for defense and civilian missions. Its offerings include the LightWave Radar, a software-defined system built to support persistent surveillance operations across airborne and ground-based environments.
The company has continued to expand its presence in the defense market through contract awards, technology development efforts and strategic collaborations. Earlier this year, C Speed secured a position on the Missile Defense Agency’s potential 10-year, $151 billion Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense contract vehicle.
C Speed has also worked with BigBear.ai on an AI-enabled threat detection and response capability designed for defense and homeland security applications. In addition, the company recently achieved Level 2 certification under the Department of War’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program.
