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Aerospace and defense titan Airbus is poised to acquire the UK cybersecurity firm Ultra Cyber, marking a strategic enhancement to its European cyber defense capabilities.
Located in Maidenhead, Ultra Cyber, which employs over 200 personnel, will be purchased from private equity firm Advent International for an undisclosed amount. Currently, it operates under Advent’s Cobham Ultra defense business.
Airbus anticipates that the transaction, expected to conclude in the latter half of 2026, will solidify its standing as a “trusted, sovereign partner for the UK and an essential supplier to its allies.”
This acquisition will also amplify Airbus’s cybersecurity footprint across Europe, augmenting its existing operations in Newport, Wales.
This move follows Airbus’s recent acquisition of the German cybersecurity entity Infodas in 2024.
Ultra Cyber was previously affiliated with the former FTSE 250 company Ultra Electronics, which was acquired by defense contractor Cobham for £2.6 billion in 2021, merely a year after Cobham was purchased by Advent. Airbus has finalized a deal to acquire the UK firm Ultra Cyber (Michel Euler/AP)
In the previous year, Advent reached an agreement to purchase Ultra Precision Control Systems from Eaton, a U.S. firm.
Additionally, reports have emerged indicating that the private equity company is exploring the sale of its Ultra Maritime division following heightened demand stemming from recent conflicts.
Mike Schoellhorn, the CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, remarked: “This acquisition underscores our enduring commitment to the UK as a vital home market.”
“By integrating our expertise with Ultra Cyber’s distinctive capabilities, we are positioning ourselves as a reliable long-term partner to the UK Ministry of Defence.”
“We are constructing the resilient, sovereign infrastructure necessary to ensure the safety of the UK and its allies in the cyber domain.”
Shonnel Malani, managing partner at Advent and chair of the board at Ultra Electronics, stated: “In a landscape marked by significant geopolitical tensions and uncertainties, we take pride in how our investments in Ultra Cyber have fortified efforts to safeguard the nation and its allies against electronic warfare, further bolstering the UK’s sovereign capabilities.”
Source link: Independent.co.uk.
