What Happened
Legacy Defense Firms Acquire Maritime Specialists Amid Growing Threats
In a significant display of investment in undersea capabilities, Lockheed Martin, Thales, and Fincantieri announced major acquisitions in the maritime sector on July 6. Lockheed Martin will spend $3.5 billion to buy Ultra Maritime, while Thales invested in Exail Technologies with a $4.5 billion valuation. Fincantieri also invested $700 million in four maritime drone and undersea engineering firms. These moves reflect growing concerns about undersea challenges and the increasing importance of undersea warfare. According to Breaking Defense, the investments are driven by the need to counter emerging threats from China and Russia.