Leidos buys Aussie special missions biz

Reston-based Fortune 500 federal contractor Leidos Holdings Inc. has entered into an agreement with British technology aerospace manufacturer Cobham Ltd. to purchase the special missions business from its Australia-based Cobham Aviation Services subsidiary, according to a news release.

Financial details of the deal, which will add airborne surveillance and search and rescue missions to Leidos’ Australia portfolio, were not released. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

“Cobham’s Special Mission team conducts essential operations that protect Australia’s borders, support law enforcement and environmental protection and save lives,” Leidos Chair and CEO Roger Krone said in a statement. “The integration of [Cobham’s] Special Mission [division] into Leidos Australia will expand the scope of our global airborne ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capabilities, diversify revenues and open up new growth avenues.”

Cobham Special Mission owns and operates 14 modified aircraft that provide critical services to the Australian government, including contracting with its Border Force, a part of the Department of Home Affairs, to patrol the country’s 8.2 million square kilometer exclusive economic zone. It also provides fixed-wing search and rescue operations for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and operates a skilled aircrew training system.

“This is a perfect match,” Cobham Aviation Services Chairman Kim Gillis said. “Leidos has remarkably complementary operations to Cobham Special Mission in airborne ISR, as well as deep platform integration expertise, and both organizations uphold exceptional track records of delivering mission critical services to government and defense customers.”