BAE Systems boosts expertise in ISR signal processing and sensors with Eclipse Electronic acquisition

Dec. 15, 2014
ARLINGTON, Va., 15 Dec. 2014. Executives of BAE Systems Inc. in Arlington, Va., are boosting their company's expertise in commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) embedded digital receiver and related signal-processing technologies with their announced acquisition of Eclipse Electronic Systems Inc. in Dallas.
ARLINGTON, Va., 15 Dec. 2014. Executives of BAE Systems Inc. in Arlington, Va., are boosting their company's expertise in commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) embedded digital receiver and related signal-processing technologies with their announced acquisition of Eclipse Electronic Systems Inc. in Dallas.

Officials of BAE Systems Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of London-based BAE Systems plc, have agreed to acquire Eclipse Electronic Systems for $28 million in cash, BAE Systems announced Friday. Eclipse is a wholly owned subsidiary of Esterline Corp. in Bellevue, Wash.

Eclipse Electronic Systems designs and builds high-performance COTS embedded digital receivers and related signal-processing components. The company also specializes in signals intelligence and communications intelligence (SIGINT/COMINT) receiver hardware for airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications.

Related: BAE Systems to help DARPA unify imaging and other battlefield intelligence sensors

The company’s products use open-architecture software and hardware, and are deployed on a wide range of U.S. and foreign manned aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk and General Atomics Reaper and Predator.

Eclipse Electronic Systems was founded by Jeff Sanders in 1993. Esterline acquired Eclipse four years ago for $120 million. The proposed acquisition will enhance the ISR offerings of BAE Systems, and broaden the potential customer base, BAE Systems officials say.

Related: Digital head-up display for combat and ISR aircraft introduced by CMC at the Farnborough International Airshow

“By combining Eclipse Electronic Systems products with BAE Systems existing ISR capabilities, we will be able to support our customers requirements for reliable, smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient sensor solutions to capture and harness actionable intelligence,” says Tom Arseneault, chief operating officer at BAE Systems.

BAE Systems executives say they expect to close the acquisition by this spring. For more information contact BAE Systems online at www.baesystems.com, or clipse Electronic Systems at www.esterline.com/communicationsystems/SIGINTProducts.

About the Author

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.

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