PLATH History
While PLATH has its origins in nautical instruments in 1837, The PLATH Group of companies evolved from a radio navigation company that originated in 1950, led by Maximilian Wächtler, a pioneer in radiolocation and radio and remote intelligence – he held over 60 patents in this field. This eventually became PLATH GmbH and has more recently become the PLATH Group. Such is the influence of PLATH that training material written in the 1990’s are still used today by the German Bundeswehr’s electronic warfare section and are standard intelligence literature. The PLATH Group now holds over 200 patents in the COMINT and SIGINT sector.
PLATH‘s long history of COMINT innovation
PLATH‘s long history pre-dates COMINT with some of the foundational navigation technology that naturally progressed to its pioneering position in COMINT that started in the 1950s.
David Filby
founds a trading house for instruments and maps – Husem Germany
Carl Christian Plath
of Hamburg Germany acquires the trading house
Cassens & Plath
formed to sell navigation devices
C. Plath KG
formed
C. Plath KG Hamburg
joined by Maximillion Wächtler a pioneer in radiolocation & radio intelligence (60 patents)
PLATH GmbH
formed to focus on SIGINT
PLATH Group
formed to proliferate its sensor technology and signals intelligence expertise