Attalon Launches as Independent Defense Technology Leader; Appoints John Bergeron as CEO to Strengthen Leadership in Precision Optics and Directed Energy

Rhea-AI Summary

Attalon (former Aerospace & Defense business of Coherent, NYSE: COHR) launched as an independent defense technology company on Jan. 13, 2026 after acquisition by Advent International. The company named John Bergeron, a 35-year aerospace and defense executive, as President and CEO to lead a focused strategy on precision optics, directed energy & advanced lasers, and precision coatings. Attalon says the rebrand enables faster, purpose-built investment in mission-critical optical and directed-energy systems for air, space, and ground domains. Attalon will debut its brand and capabilities at Photonics West, Jan. 20-22, 2026, Booth #5412.

Positive

• Independent launch after acquisition by Advent International
• John Bergeron appointed CEO with 35 years of industry experience
• Focused investment in three growth areas: optics, directed energy, coatings

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

+2.62%

11 alerts

+2.62% News Effect

+$937M Valuation Impact

$36.70B Market Cap

0.5x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, COHR gained 2.62%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 11 alerts that day, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $937M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $36.70B at that time.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

CEO industry experience: 35 years Temperature tolerance: 1,000°C Photonics West dates: Jan. 20–22, 2026 +1 more

4 metrics

CEO industry experience 35 years Aerospace and defense sector tenure of John Bergeron

Temperature tolerance 1,000°C Precision coatings designed to withstand extreme temperatures

Photonics West dates Jan. 20–22, 2026 Attalon brand debut and capabilities showcase

Exhibit booth Booth #5412 Attalon presence at Photonics West in San Francisco

Market Reality Check

Price: $221.14 Vol: Volume 5,915,066 is 1.52x...

high vol

$221.14 Last Close

Volume Volume 5,915,066 is 1.52x the 20-day average of 3,893,666, indicating elevated interest ahead of the Attalon launch. high

Technical Shares trade above the 200-day MA, with price at 185.18 vs 200-day MA of 109.58.

Peers on Argus

Key peers FTV, TRMB, TDY, KEYS, and GRMN all show modest gains between 0.12% and...

Key peers FTV, TRMB, TDY, KEYS, and GRMN all show modest gains between 0.12% and 1.34%, while COHR advanced 4%. The scanner did not flag a sector-wide momentum move, suggesting today’s strength is more company-specific.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 12 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 12	Product launch	Positive	+4.0%	Introduced WaveShaper 1000A Sharp high-resolution programmable optical filter.
Dec 11	Board/management	Neutral	+0.5%	Comtech added former Coherent CFO Mary Jane Raymond to its board.
Dec 03	Platform expansion	Positive	+3.7%	Announced 300mm silicon carbide platform for AI datacenter infrastructure.
Nov 14	Product launch	Positive	-0.2%	Introduced Axon FP fiber-delivered femtosecond laser for microscopy.
Nov 10	Product launch	Positive	-5.2%	Unveiled EDGE CUT20 OEM cutting solution at Photonix Japan 2025.

Pattern Detected

Product and technology announcements have often been followed by positive moves, though two news events saw negative reactions, indicating occasional divergence.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Coherent has focused on expanding its photonics and industrial solutions. Launches such as the WaveShaper 1000A Sharp on Jan 12, 2026 and the Axon FP femtosecond laser on Nov 14, 2025 highlight continued product innovation. The 300mm SiC platform announcement on Dec 3, 2025 tied Coherent to AI and datacenter demand. While some product launches led to gains, others coincided with declines, showing mixed short-term price alignment with positive news.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-12-16

An automatic shelf registration filed on 2025-12-16 permits selling securityholders to resell up to 9,775,846 shares of common stock issued upon conversion of Series B-2 preferred. The company stated it will not receive proceeds from these resales but will bear specified registration expenses.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Coherent’s move to position its former Aerospace & Defense business as ...

Analysis

This announcement highlights Coherent’s move to position its former Aerospace & Defense business as Attalon, an independent defense-focused platform emphasizing precision optics, directed energy, and survivability solutions. The leadership appointment of a CEO with 35 years of sector experience and plans to showcase capabilities at Photonics West underscore ongoing portfolio evolution. In assessing this development, investors may track how future disclosures, SEC filings, and subsequent product or contract wins integrate with the company’s broader strategic and capital-structure updates.

Key Terms

directed energy, EMI, RF, gimbals

4 terms

directed energy technical

"mission-critical optical and directed energy technologies, today announced its launch"

Directed energy describes weapons or tools that send concentrated beams of energy—such as lasers, microwaves, or particle streams—toward a target to heat, disable, or disrupt it rather than using conventional projectiles. Like using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on a single spot, these systems can deliver effects at speed and with precision. Investors watch directed energy because it drives defense and high-tech spending, influences regulatory and export rules, and carries long development timelines and maintenance costs that affect company value.

EMI technical

"bespoke EMI and RF spectral characteristics, which are capable of withstanding"

An EMI is a UK tax-advantaged employee share option plan that lets a company grant executives and staff the right to buy shares at a preset price after a vesting period. It matters to investors because it aligns employees’ incentives with company performance—like giving key workers a stake in the business—while potentially diluting existing shareholders and changing future earnings per share when options are exercised.

RF technical

"bespoke EMI and RF spectral characteristics, which are capable of withstanding"

rf (commonly written r_f) denotes the risk-free rate — the theoretical return on an investment with no chance of loss, often used as a baseline for valuing other assets. Investors use it like a yardstick: returns above this number compensate for extra risk, so it helps price stocks, bonds and option valuations and guides decisions about whether higher-return opportunities justify their added risk. Think of it as the safe deposit box interest rate against which riskier bets are measured.

gimbals technical

"beam-combined lasers, pulsed lasers, and precision gimbals for directed energy weapon systems"

Gimbals are pivoting mounts that let an object rotate smoothly on one or more axes, like a camera hanging in a frame that stays level while the frame moves. Investors care because gimbals affect how well products such as cameras, drones, satellites or manufacturing equipment perform, how expensive and complex production is, and how reliable the final device will be—factors that influence sales, margins, and warranty or regulatory risks.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Attalon, Inc., a provider of mission-critical optical and directed energy technologies, today announced its launch as an independent standalone company following its acquisition by Advent International. Formerly the Aerospace & Defense business of Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), Attalon emerges with a sharpened focus on delivering high-performance systems required for next generation warfare, including directed energy, cutting edge space and airborne optics, and survivability solutions. 

To lead this transformation and support the company's commitment to delivering industry-leading systems and solutions, Attalon has appointed John Bergeron as President and Chief Executive Officer. A 35-year veteran of the aerospace and defense sector, Bergeron brings deep operational expertise from leadership roles at CACI, Raytheon, and GE.

A New Name for a New Era of Defense: The rebrand to "Attalon" signals a definitive shift from a subsidiary business unit inside a large commercially focused conglomerate, to an agile and purpose-built defense platform. The name pairs the concept of authority and leadership ("Atta") with precision and strike capability ("Talon").

"The battlefield is evolving faster than ever, moving toward autonomous systems and contested environments. Our customers cannot afford partners who are merely reactive," said John Bergeron. "Attalon is not just a component supplier; we are the core of optical and directed energy systems that will define modern defense. We are now unleashed to invest specifically in the technologies that the warfighter needs to dominate in these new domains."

Strategic Focus: Speed, Power and Precision: Attalon intends to build on its heritage of engineering excellence and talent through accelerated investment in three critical growth areas:

• Precision Optics: Delivering high-performance optical systems and solutions that enable ISR&T (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting) applications across air, space, and ground domains.  
• Directed Energy & Advanced Lasers: Design and production of spectrally and coherently beam-combined lasers, pulsed lasers, and precision gimbals for directed energy weapon systems, active sensing, and laser communications.
• Precision Coatings: High-temperature specialty coatings and patterning on both conformal and irregular shapes which require exacting precision. Our customers rely on these unique processes for the integration of bespoke EMI and RF spectral characteristics, which are capable of withstanding Mach speeds and extreme temperatures up to 1,000°C.

"We are thrilled to welcome John as Attalon's new President and CEO," said Mike Kahn, Chairman of the Board. "Attalon possesses rare technical capabilities that are critical to national security. As an independent entity, with John at the helm, Attalon is now positioned to move at the speed of the mission. His leadership will play a critical role in driving innovation and turning our proprietary technologies into field-ready advantages for our customers across aerospace and defense."

Industry Presence: Attalon will debut its new brand and showcase its capabilities at Photonics West in San Francisco, CA (Jan. 20-22, 2026) at Booth #5412.

About Attalon

Attalon is a leading technology partner to the global aerospace and defense industry, specializing in the physics of light and heat. With over 500 employees in the U.S., Attalon engineers critical optical, laser, and coating technologies that enable systems to see farther, target faster, and survive the harshest environments. From high-energy directed laser systems to satellite optics and hypersonic thermal protection, Attalon equips the warfighter with the advantage of precision.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/attalon-launches-as-independent-defense-technology-leader-appoints-john-bergeron-as-ceo-to-strengthen-leadership-in-precision-optics-and-directed-energy-302660089.html

SOURCE Attalon, Inc.

FAQ

What is Attalon and when did it launch as an independent company (COHR)?

Attalon launched as an independent defense company on Jan. 13, 2026 after Advent International acquired Coherent's Aerospace & Defense business.

Who is the new CEO of Attalon (COHR) and what is his background?

John Bergeron was named President and CEO; he has 35 years of aerospace and defense experience with roles at CACI, Raytheon, and GE.

What core technologies will Attalon (COHR) focus on after the launch?

Attalon will prioritize precision optics, directed energy & advanced lasers, and precision coatings for air, space, and ground systems.

When and where will Attalon (COHR) publicly debut its new brand and capabilities?

Attalon will debut at Photonics West in San Francisco on Jan. 20-22, 2026 at Booth #5412.

Why did Attalon rebrand from Coherent's Aerospace & Defense business?

The rebrand positions Attalon as an agile, purpose-built defense platform focused on mission-specific optical and directed-energy systems.

How will Attalon's strategic focus affect its product areas important to investors (COHR)?

The company emphasizes accelerated investment in high-performance optical systems, beam-combined and pulsed lasers, and high-temperature precision coatings.