L-3 shells out $132M cash for UK aircraft training biz
Once completed, the deal will give L-3 a full range of training system solutions for military and commercial customers.
L-3 Communications, a Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C3ISR) systems and government services contractor, will pay $132 million in cash to acquire Thales Ltd.’s civil aircraft unit.
Thales Training & Simulation business, of Crawley, U.K., employs approximately 400 people and manufactures commercial flight simulation equipment for global customers, according to the April 11 L-3 announcement.
Its high-tech civil aircraft simulators comply with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, European Aviation Safety Agency and International Civil Aviation Organization regulations, the announcement said.
“With this acquisition L-3 will strengthen its existing military training and simulation business by adding full flight simulator capability and expanding into the civil simulation market,” Michael Strianese, L-3’s chairman, president and CEO, said in the statement.
When combined with its existing military training and simulation business, L-3 will offer a full range of training system solutions to military and commercial customers, he added.
Thales Training & Simulation unit will be integrated into the L-3 Link Simulation & Training organization, part of L-3’s Electronic Systems Group.
The acquisition is anticipated to be completed in the summer of 2012, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
L-3 Communications Corp., of McLean, Va., ranks No. 8 on Washington Technology’s 2011 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors.