A&D Weekly News & Transactions - Week 28

Industry Headline News

Northrop Grumman has finalized a landmark agreement to coproduce medium-caliber ammunition in Ukraine, marking the first US defense company to undertake such manufacturing within the country
July 11, 2024 - Despite the deal, Northrop personnel will not be physically present in Ukraine, instead overseeing operations remotely from the US and training local workers outside Ukrainian borders. (Breaking Defense)

U.S. private equity firm Platinum Equity Advisors LLC will acquire Canadian aerospace manufacturer Héroux-Devtek Inc. for $1.35 billion, maintaining its Quebec operations
July 11, 2024 - Héroux-Devtek, the world's third-largest landing gear manufacturer, will be sold at $32.50 per share following a strategic review by its board. The transaction is expected to close by March 31, 2025, pending regulatory and shareholder approvals. (CBC)

The NATO summit in Washington highlighted significant defense deals for companies including RTX, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Kongsberg Defense, and SAAB
July 11, 2024 - Key deals included a $680 million contract for RTX's Stinger missiles, a $5.5 billion Patriot GEM-T missile deal, and a $1.2 billion extension for NATO's AWACS radar program. Co-production agreements were also announced, such as Nammo and RTX partnering for rocket motors and Lockheed Martin's Patriot system components to be produced in Poland. (Reuters)

The Pentagon will resume deliveries of Lockheed Martin F-35 jets after a year-long pause, accepting jets with a partial version of the latest TR-3 software
July 11, 2024 - This decision, made by Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt on July 3, follows consultations with various stakeholders and is intended to address previous delays in software integration and hardware availability. Although these jets will initially be used for training and not combat missions until 2025, deliveries are expected to start this month. (Breaking Defense)

Metrea, a commercial air refueling provider based in Washington, DC, has acquired the entire fleet of 14 Boeing KC-135 tankers from the French Air and Space Forces
July 11, 2024 - This acquisition follows France's transition to an all-Airbus A330 tanker fleet, with the first 11 KC-135s transferred in June and three more to follow later. Metrea plans to continue operating these aircraft commercially, having already supported US Air Force exercises with similar assets acquired from Singapore in 2020. (Flight Global)

Senator Maria Cantwell is urging Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee as she drafts new legislation to enhance FAA oversight of aircraft manufacturers
July 11, 2024 - This follows a June incident involving a Boeing 737 MAX 9, highlighting concerns over FAA's lack of robust safety management systems. Cantwell plans to introduce legislation mandating the FAA implement these systems to ensure effective oversight. (Reuters)

Canada is committing to purchasing 12 new conventionally-powered, under-ice submarines, with the acquisition valued at least $60b CAD to help meet the 2 percent GDP defense spending target
July 10, 2024 - This new fleet aims to protect Canada's sovereignty, particularly in Arctic regions, and enhance contributions to NATO security. The government is currently engaging with international shipbuilders, with a formal request for information expected in fall 2024. (Breaking Defense)

Signia Aerospace, backed by Arcline Investment Management, is set to acquire Goodrich Hoist & Winch from
Collins Aerospace, part of RTX Corporation
July 9, 2024 - Goodrich Hoist & Winch, known for its reliable rescue hoists and cargo winches, will enhance Signia's Mission Systems segment, supporting critical airborne missions globally. Moelis & Company LLC advises Signia on this acquisition. (PR Newswire)

Airbus delivered 323 aircraft in the first half of 2024, a 2% increase from the same period in 2023, achieving 42% of its downgraded annual target of 770
July 9, 2024 - The company secured 310 new firm orders and highlighted the significance of its Chinese plant in Tianjin, which delivered its 700th A320 family aircraft, underscoring strong cooperation between Airbus and China. (AeroTime)

The Pentagon remains committed to developing the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile despite its costs ballooning to an estimated $140.9 billion
July 8, 2024 - The program will be restructured to control costs, likely delaying it by several years, and will involve scaling back launch facilities and improving systems engineering. Despite the overruns, the Pentagon emphasizes the necessity of modernizing nuclear forces to address current threats and sustain national security.(C4ISRNET)

Weekly Transaction Review

No.	Parties Involved	Transaction Metrics			Location	Segment
	Target [Parent] Acquirer [Parent]	Price ($M)	Price/ Revenue	Price/ EBITDA	Target	Target
1	Desktop Metal Nano Dimension	$222.0	1.2x	nm	Burlington, MA	Machined & Cast Parts
2	Signature Management & Power Business of Ultra Marittime [Advent] ESCO Technologies	$550.0	3.1x	11.0x	Wallingford, CT	Defense Electronics
3	Hoist & Winch Business of Goodrich Signia Aerospace [Arcline]	-	-	-	Anaheim, CA	Components & Subsystems
4	Rockford Components AQ Group AB	$3.0	0.3x	-	Woodbridge, United Kingdom	Connectors
5	EmpowerMX [Argentum Group] IFS AB [EQT AB]	-	-	-	Frisco, TX	Government Services, IT Services and Software
6	Héroux-Devtek Platinum Equity	$998.7	2.2x	15.3x	Longueuil, Canada	Controls & Systems

No.	Target Descriptions
1	Desktop Metal offers an expansive portfolio of 3D printing solutions, from rapid prototyping to mass production, with expertise in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics. The company offers Shop System, an entry-level metal 3D printing using binder jetting; X-series platform that provides binder jet 3D printing of specialty materials, including metals and ceramics, and tools; and P-Series offers high-speed metal 3D printing.
2	The Signature Management and Power Business designs and manufactures fully ruggedized, high performance Human Machine Interface (HMI) devices and Human Systems Integration (HSI) solutions for submarines and surface ships in the US and UK naval defense markets. The business' core products include miniature joysticks, hand controls, control grips, and soldier portable controls.
3	The Hoist & Winch Business designs, manufactures, and provides product support for a complete line of external and internal rescue hoists and cargo winches, with more than 50 proprietary models utilized by civil and military operators worldwide. The business's products are built to withstand extreme conditions, providing the highest reliability and safety for search and rescue and other human external cargo missions.
4	Rockford Components provides wiring, interconnect, and system solutions primarily to OEMs in the aerospace and defense sectors worldwide. The company offers electrical cable assemblies; electro-mechanical assemblies; machining and fabrication products; mechanical, electrical, and electronic system design services; and logistics services.
5	EmpowerMX is a provider of cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) intelligent maintenance solutions for private sector and U.S. federal government aerospace markets. The company's principle product is FleetCycle®, a software solution used to manage, plan, execute, and optimize aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.
6	Héroux-Devtek engages in the design, development, manufacture, and repair and overhaul of aircraft landing gears, hydraulic and electromechanical flight control actuators, custom ball screws, and fracture-critical components. The company serves civil and defense sectors of the aerospace market.