The U.K. Business Secretary has officially cleared the acquisition of Ultra by Cobham to proceed.
The GBP2.57 billion ($3.06 billion) deal was first announced in August 2021 . The deal faced heavy scrutiny in the U.K., as criticism was rising over U.S. takeovers of U.K. defense contractors. Cobham itself was acquired by U.S.-based equity firm Advent International in 2019 for GBP4 billion ($5 billion). The Cobham/Ultra deal followed shortly after another U.K. company, Meggitt, agreed to be acquired by U.S. firm Parker Hannifin, with a subsequent second bid being offered by TransDigm.
This acquisition of mid-tier manufacturers in the U.K. by US firms had been causing consternation in the U.K. government and with labor unions. Some in government fear that these international takeovers will compromise national security and economic interests.
In order to assuage such fears, Cobham offered commitments to protect defense capabilities, and to fund Ultra’s pensions and investment in the U.K. However, it reserved the right to consolidate operations, likely through the divestiture of Ultra’s forensics and energy businesses.
Ultra is a Tier 3 (subsystem) and occasionally a Tier 2 systems provider in the maritime, C4ISR/EW, military and commercial aerospace, nuclear, and industrial sensors markets. Headquartered in London, Ultra employs 4,500 primarily in the U.S. and U.K.
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A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
