Caliburn Technologies™ Launches as Independent Spin-Off from Fathom5

Caliburn Technologies launch coincides with Pentagon shift to Software Acquisition Pathway, offering commanders a secure 'digital hitch ball' to adapt payloads at the speed of relevance.

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Caliburn Technologies™, a spinout of naval digital engineering leader Fathom5, today announced its launch to accelerate the deployment of TempestOS, the first operating system built to orchestrate frontier technologies across cyber, AI, robotics, and sensors. Formed to integrate advanced technologies into fast, testable, and cyber-resilient systems, Caliburn will move capability to the fleet at the pace of relevance.

Backed by early commitments from strategic defense investors, Caliburn will expand engineering and field deployment teams, secure key certification milestones, and fund initial installations with lighthouse partners. This marks the beginning of Caliburn's independent journey, bringing proven technology from Fathom5 into a product company purpose-built for scale.

"Fathom5 has proven that cyber-resilient, AI-powered solutions can operate at the edge of naval networks," said Zac Staples, founder and CEO of Caliburn Technologies. "With Caliburn, we take that proven foundation and turn it into a scalable, dependable platform that delivers readiness for defense operations at the tactical edge."

The launch comes as the Department of War directs programs toward the Software Acquisition Pathway as the default route for all new software. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's March memo also emphasized the use of Commercial Solutions Openings and Other Transaction Authorities to accelerate the delivery of fieldable capability. TempestOS is purpose-designed for this moment, offering commanders a secure, integration-first platform aligned to the Pentagon's shift in software acquisition.

"Our customers need an operating system that can survive salt spray, contested spectrum, and denied logistics, and still let them fight through," added Staples. "TempestOS is built to finish the compliance checklist, then disappear into the background of the mission. It's the digital hitch ball that ensures payloads can be swapped or upgraded in real time so commanders can adapt as quickly as adversaries do. In today's fight, waiting three or four months for integration means losing the battle. With TempestOS, adaptation happens in hours and days, not quarters."

Caliburn will give operational commanders an operating layer that functions as the platform, allowing payloads to be added, swapped, or upgraded rapidly as adversaries change tactics. Caliburn will give operational commanders a tactical Platform-as-a-Service that empowers them to add, swap, and upgrade payloads rapidly as adversaries change tactics.

"Caliburn Technologies is instrumental in operationalizing what Fathom5 built," said Rear Adm. (ret.) Lorin Selby, former chief of naval research and former chief engineer of the Navy. "TempestOS delivers the integration layer the defense community needs: deployable, cyber-secure, and designed to keep warfighters ahead as the Pentagon accelerates software acquisition."

Caliburn Technologies CEO Zac Staples previously directed the Navy's Center for Cyber Warfare Research and received the Secretary of the Navy's Innovation Catalyst Award before founding Fathom5 in 2017. Under his leadership, Fathom5 delivered the Navy's first predictive maintenance AI program of record for warships and authored the widely cited "Second Age of Cyber" framework, emphasizing adversary-focused metrics, automation, and shaping cyber terrain to restore advantage to defenders.

Caliburn Technologies benefits from Fathom5's reputation and intellectual property while delivering a product aimed squarely at solving frontline cybersecurity and operational challenges. To learn more, visit www.caliburn.us. 

About Caliburn Technologies Caliburn Technologies, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is the technology firm delivering TempestOS, a hardened operating system that serves as the integration layer for AI, robotics and advanced sensing in defense environments. The TempestOS platform provides a shared data model and guaranteed interoperability, enabling commanders to rapidly add or swap payloads and adapt faster than adversaries. Caliburn Technologies builds on a legacy of naval innovation, including the Navy's first predictive maintenance AI program of record and the "Second Age of Cyber" framework emphasizing adversary-focused metrics and automation. Led by founder and CEO Zac Staples, the former director of the Navy's Center for Cyber Warfare Research, Caliburn Technologies partners with both startups and primes to deliver mission-ready, cyber-resilient systems at the pace of relevance. Learn more at www.caliburn.us. 

About Fathom5
Fathom5, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is a technology firm advancing secure infrastructure for AI-driven machines that redefine industrial resilience and support national defense. Fathom5 has achieved notable milestones, including deploying the first AI platform on U.S. Navy warships and securing 17 patents in actuator technology and cybersecurity. Through its flagship platform, TempestOS, Fathom5 aims to protect critical systems for the U.S. Department of War and other industrial partners, ensuring secure and efficient operations in contested environments. Focusing on cybersecurity, operational technology, and AI, Fathom5 connects established infrastructure with next-generation solutions, setting new standards for defense and industry security. For more information, please visit www.fathom5.com.

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SOURCE Caliburn Technologies