Defense Electronics News

Thailand has signed a contract to buy Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) made by Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems for 4 billion baht ($107.67 million), the Thai navy said on Wednesday.The navy did not say in its statement how many drones it would buy, but said a budget had been set to procure the system over four years, between 2022 to 2025.The Thai navy said the drones would be used to patrol the sea to protect the country’s maritime sovereignty, shipping routes and assist in sea rescue operations.The Hermes 900 is a medium-sized drone, which has the endurance to fly f

Israel-based international defense electronics company Elbit Systems has signed an agreement to buy maritime defense contractor Sparton for $380 million. Elbit said Wednesday that its U.S. subsidiary Elbit Systems of America had signed a definitive agreement with an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. for the acquisition of Sparton. Sparton Parent, Inc.—formerly known as Striker Parent 2018—an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. bought Sparton in March 2019.The Elbit transaction is conditioned on various closing conditions, including receipt of U.S.

Kelvin Hughes has been acquired by HENSOLDT (formerly Airbus Defense Electronics) as a result of an agreement by its owners ECI Partners to sell its investment in the company. “Following the buyout from Smiths Group, ECI has been a consistent and supportive partner as we have consolidated our position as a global leader in surveillance and security radar solutions,” said Kelvin Hughes CEO, Russell Gould. Completion of the transaction remains subject to regulatory clearances. HENSOLDT, an independent sensor house, is a provider of radar and IFF systems on airborne, naval and land platforms.

Teledyne today reported third quarter 2013 sales of $571.6 million, compared with sales of $547.4 million for the third quarter of 2012, an increase of 4.4%. Net income attributable to Teledyne was $46.8 million ($1.23 per diluted share) for the third quarter of 2013, compared with $42.7 million ($1.14 per diluted share) for the third quarter of 2012, an increase of 9.6%. “In the third quarter, our commercial industrial businesses collectively performed very well. As an example, our instrumentation segment generated organic revenue growth of 12.7 percent,” said Robert Mehrabian, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “Also in the quarter…

Norfolk/Bremen – The Atlas Elektronik Group, a worldwide acting company for maritime defense electronics, has founded a subsidiary in North America. Atlas North America (Atlas NA) has been set up to establish a strong and reliable partnership with the US Navy and US authorities. As potential main contractor Atlas NA will provide Atlas products and solutions for current or future US users. This is an important step within the globalization strategy of the company, which is based with its headquarters in Germany.

Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) announced that its subsidiary, Elisra Electronic Systems Ltd. (Elisra), was awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Canada Ltd valued at approximately $55m to supply Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment for the Canadian Navy's Halifax Frigate Modernization program. Elisra's systems were selected after meeting the strict standards and challenges required by the customer. Elisra CEO, Itzhak Gat, said he takes great pride in the decision of Lockheed Martin Canada to select Elisra over others in industry. Gat noted that Elisra has had a longstanding relationship with Lockheed Martin Canada, based on professional cooperation and trust, as well as the use of advanced domestic technology.

French defense group Thomson-CSF plans to bid for British warship builder Vosper Thorneycroft, which in turn is preparing a bid for U.K.-based Hunting Engineering, according to press reports. Officials of Thomson-CSF, which recently acquired defense electronics company Racal Plc, said the company could bid up to 15 pounds ($22.46) per share, valuing Vosper at $754.6 million. The takeover bid, which is reportedly welcomed by the British government, would ensure Thomson-CSF a slice of a multi-billion dollar contract to build new frigates for Britain's Royal Navy. Vosper was reportedly mulling a bid for the defense arm of British-based Hunting Engineering, a maker of weapons integration systems for Apache attack helicopters along with engineering business in the oil industry.

French navy shipyards launched the first of three stealth frigates ordered by Saudi Arabia. The 4,500-ton frigate Al Riyadh, launched in the Brittany port of Lorient, is due for delivery in the summer of 2002 after being fitted with equipment and undergoing tests. Two sister ships, the La Fayette class missile-launching frigates Makkah and Al Damman, are still being built. French defense electronics group Thomson-CSF provides the frigates' combat systems.

Litton Industries Inc. plans to sell its defense electronics unit and focus on its shipbuilding, information security and telecommunications businesses. The Advanced Electronics unit, which specializes in navigation and electronic warfare, had $1.6 billion in revenues in fiscal 2000, or about 28 percent of Litton's total revenues of $5.6 billion. It has about 9,500 employees. The evaluation, Litton said, indicated that the defense electronics unit would produce more value in the hands of a company focusing on similar areas. Analysts had previously said the defense electronics unit was experiencing cost overruns on some contracts. After the divestiture…

In a move which effectively creates a defense and marine naval construction giant, Northrop Grumman Corp. and Litton Industries jointly announced late last month that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Northrop Grumman will acquire for cash all of the outstanding shares of Litton for $80 per common share and $35 per Series B Preferred share. The transaction is valued at approximately $5.1 billion, which includes the assumption of Litton's $1.3 billion in net debt. Litton is a leading supplier of advanced electronics and information systems to the U.S. government and international customers and is the premier designer and builder of non-nuclear surface combatant ships for U.S. and foreign navies.

Military shipbuilder Litton Industries Inc. on Wednesday reported lower fiscal first-quarter earnings, but surpassed Wall Street forecasts due to strength in its recently refocused core operations. Litton, the largest builder of non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy, reported a net profit of $44.9 million, or $.97 per share, for the quarter ended Oct. 31, down from $49.9 million, or $1.07 a share, a year earlier. Analysts had expected earnings of $.95 a share, according to tracking firm First Call/Thomson Financial. Excluding discontinued operations, Litton posted earnings of $34.4 million, or $.74 per share, versus $36.3 million, or $.78 per share, a year ago. Total sales and service revenues reached $1.08 billion in the quarter, up from $999.9 million in the same quarter last year.

A. R. Larsen Company, Inc. of Redmond, Wash., has recently gone online to take its products and services around the globe. A leading provider of marine food service equipment, custom products, installation services and galley design, A.R. Larsen is looking to expand its international market. Since 1985, the company has been involved in all aspects of new and renovated galleys for the marine industry - from commercial ships, fishing vessels, factory trawlers, and cruise lines to passenger ferries and private pleasure crafts. The company's work, originally based around the Washington State Puget Sound area, has led them around the globe as contractors, subcontractors and consultants to a variety of demanding projects.

Northrop Grumman Corp., the number five U.S. defense contractor, said on Tuesday that it has completed its $3.8 billion purchase of warship and defense electronics maker Litton Industries Inc. Los Angeles-based Northrop, which makes high-tech weapons systems, said the purchase will solidify its defense electronics segment while adding shipbuilding and commercial electronics capabilities. The deal cleared required U.S. and European Commission reviews late last month. "The Litton acquisition creates a $15 billion, top-tier global defense enterprise with 80,000 employees worldwide," said a Northrop Grumman official. Under the agreement signed by the two companies, the acquisition also includes the assumption of Litton's $1.3 billion net debt.

NAVCOM Defense Electronics, Inc., El Monte, Calif., is being awarded an $11.4m firm-fixed-price contract for URN-25 tactical air navigation systems and on-board and shore-based spares. The system includes transponder, control indicator, antenna group and on-board and shore-based spares. Four systems will be procured in the base award. Work will be performed in El Monte, Calif., and is expected to be completed by March 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract supports the Government of Spain under the Foreign Military Sales program. The contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-06-C-4004).

Northrop Grumman Corporation has named Ronald D. Sugar, president and chief operating officer chairman and chief executive officer. Dr. Sugar was elected to Northrop Grumman's board of directors last April. Kent Kresa, chairman and CEO, stated, "With our recent acquisition of Litton Industries, Northrop Grumman is now a $15 billion top-tier global enterprise with 80,000 employees. Ron's appointment provides our company with additional management depth, experience and expertise at an important time in our company's history. For the past 11 years, Kresa has held the position of chairman, president and chief executive officer, leading Northrop Grumman in its transition from primarily an aircraft company to a leading defense electronics…

Following is the full text of the letter submitted to William P. Fricks, Chairman and CEO of Newport News Shipbuilding, from Kent Kresa Chairman, President and CEO, Northrop Grumman Corporation, regarding the proposed takeover of Newport News Shipbuilding. Mr. William P. Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. We were disappointed by your April 25th announcement that Newport News had agreed to be acquired by General Dynamics for cash without exploring alternatives with Northrop Grumman. Moreover, we believe your proposed transaction with General Dynamics raises serious antitrust issues. As the Department of Defense previously noted, over 75%…

French defense electronics group Thomson-CSF will form a joint venture with naval shipbuilder DCN, reportedly to better positioning itself to compete internationally for major warship and naval combat systems contracts. The deal, which will take the form of a 50-50 joint venture between Thomson's naval systems business and DCN International, represents a deepening of the existing relationship between the two groups, which have cooperated in the past on frigates for Saudi Arabia and Taiwan and submarines for Chile. It also gives Thomson a share of the roughly $1.21 billion allocated to French contractors as part of the next generation Horizon anti-aircraft frigate program with Italy.

U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. on Wednesday said it expected to report sales of $18 billion by 2003, driven by growth in the defense electronics and information systems business. The company also expects "double digit" growth in earnings before pension income, or economic earnings, according to chairman and CEO Kent Kresa. Northrop, which recently closed its acquisition of shipbuilder Litton Industries, said defense electronics operations would account for 35 percent of sales by 2003. Ship systems operations should account for about 17 percent. Northrop's revenues were hurt last year by the wind down of the B2 bomber program but Kresa said he thought the operation had stabilized.