Leonardo DRS acquires gimbal tech maker

Leonardo DRS, the Italy-headquartered conglomerate’s U.S. defense subsidiary, said Thursday it has acquired a maker of gimbal technology to better enable the movement of sensors and cameras installed on platforms.

The plan for Leonardo DRS is to combine its electro-optical and infrared systems with Ascendant Engineering Solutions’ gimbal technology for use in small unmanned aircraft and other lightweight military platforms. Terms of the deal were undisclosed.

AES is headquartered in Austin, Texas that is also home to Army Futures Command. The company’s main focus is on countering current and future anti-access and area-denial systems.

"The compelling need for smaller and more lightweight sensing systems is one of the most critical priorities of defense forces around the world," said Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of the Leonardo DRS electro-optic and infrared systems business.

For Leonardo DRS, the company sees the vertical integration of sensors and gimbals as helping military platforms better identify events in their environments by supplying real-time imagery and targeting information to airborne and ground forces.