Mercury Systems make another acquisition to expand know-how in RF and microwave and embedded computing
ANDOVER, Mass. – Executives of embedded computing specialist Mercury Systems Inc. in Andover, Mass., are boosting their company's expertise in RF and microwave technologies for military and space applications with their acquisition of Delta Microwave Inc. in Oxnard, Calif., for $40.5 million in cash.
The Delta Microwave acquisition continues a long-term trend in company acquisitions for Mercury's expansion in digital and analog technologies for aerospace and defense applications that reaches back nearly two decades.
Delta Microwave designs and manufactures radio frequency (RF), microwave, and millimeter wave subassemblies and components such as filters, multiplexers, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs), filter/amplifiers, and integrated microwave assemblies.
Mercury, which this year relocated its headquarters from Chelmsford, Mass., to Andover, Mass., specializes in secure sensor and mission processing subsystems, as well as in RF and microwave technologies for defense and intelligence programs.
Delta's "strengths in high-power, high-frequency active and passive microwave components and subassemblies -- particularly in GaN solid-state power amplifiers" are of particular interest to Mercury executives, says Mercury President and CEO Mark Aslett.
These new capabilities add scale and breadth to Mercury’s existing RF, microwave and millimeter wave portfolio, expand our addressable market into satellite communications, data links and space launch -- markets that are well-aligned with Mercury’s existing market focus -- and deepen our penetration into our core radar, electronic warfare, and precision-guided munitions markets," Aslett says.
Delta also is involved in several important U.S. military programs that involve RF and microwave technologies that Mercury is ready to step into.
Delta has a strong position on a number of franchise U.S. and international defense programs such as F-35, Paveway, MALD, and Rivet Joint that complement Mercury’s presence," Aslett says. "They have strong relationships with space OEMs, supplying future manned spaceflight missions, as well as military and commercial satellite programs." For its fiscal year ended 31 December 2016 Delta had revenues of $12.8 million.
Mercury has been on a rapid acquisition pace as company leaders seek to enhance the company's positions in high-performance embedded computing (HPEC) and RF and microwave technologies, which includes applications in radar, electronic warfare (EW), secure trusted computing, and signals intelligence.
Last fall Mercury acquired mission computing and small-form-factor embedded computing specialist CES Creative Electronic Systems S.A. in Grand-Lancy, Switzerland. In April 2016 Mercury acquired the embedded security, RF and Microwave, and custom microelectronics businesses of Microsemi Corp.
In late 2015 Mercury made a move to acquire Lewis Innovative Technologies Inc. (LIT) in Decatur, Ala. to improve Mercury's capabilities in secure computing and military and commercial engineering design services.
Previous to that, Mercury acquired Micronetics, a designer and manufacturer of microwave and radio frequency (RF) subsystems and components for defense and commercial customers in 2012, and acquired LNX Corp. in early 2011 to boost Mercury's position in signals intelligence (SIGINT), communications intelligence, and electronic warfare.
In 2005 Mercury made a big move to bridge its expertise in digital signal processing and RF and microwave applications with its acquisition of Echotek Corp. in Huntsville, Ala. Echotek provided expertise in analog-to-digital conversion (A/D), digital-to-analog conversion (D/A), high- performance input/output (I/O), and specialized digital signal processing known as digital receivers for radar and signals intelligence, as well as for medical scanners, large-scale physics experiments, and electronic test instrumentation.
As far back as 2002 Mercury acquired Myriad Logic in Silver Spring, Md., to broaden the company's I/O solutions offerings.
For more information on the latest acquisition contact Mercury Systems online at www.mrcy.com, or Delta Microwave at www.deltamicrowave.com.
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John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
