ST. LOUIS,
July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The
Boeing Company (NYSE: BA)
today announced an agreement to acquire Insitu, Inc., a pioneer in the
unmanned air systems (UAS) market and leader in the design, development and
manufacture of high-performance, low-cost UAS used for intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Boeing and Insitu have partnered since 2002 and together developed the
successful ScanEagle(TM) UAS program, which has more than 100,000 operational
flight hours with the U.S. Department of Defense and international customers.
Insitu's key technologies and advanced capabilities in rapid prototyping and
manufacturing are driving its revenue to an anticipated $150 million this
year, 70 percent higher than in 2007, and have it well positioned for the
future.
"Increasingly our customers are seeking advanced unmanned aerial solutions
to address a wide range of requirements for ISR missions," said Jim Albaugh,
president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "The Boeing-Insitu
team has been successfully delivering much-needed capability to the warfighter
in a changing threat environment. Bringing these outstanding teams together
will accelerate deployment of the next generation of unmanned systems to our
U.S. and allied service members."
Terms of the cash transaction were not disclosed. This transaction,
anticipated to close by the end of September following regulatory approvals,
does not affect Boeing's financial guidance. Once acquired, Insitu will be a
separate subsidiary under Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' Military Aircraft
unit. It will retain an independent operating model while benefiting from
Boeing's vast resources.
"This acquisition is part of a larger plan to aggressively grow our
presence in the unmanned systems market," said Chris Chadwick, president,
Boeing Military Aircraft. "We look forward to building upon our existing
relationship with Insitu to deliver industry-leading tactical unmanned systems
and services to our customers."
Founded in 1994 as an entrepreneurial start-up, Insitu, located in Bingen,
Wash., designs, develops and manufactures UAS for commercial and military
applications. It built the first UAS to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and today
has approximately 360 employees.
"This agreement allows us to leverage the breadth and strength of Boeing
to get our organization to the next level," said Steven Sliwa, president and
CEO of Insitu. "At the same time, it allows us to retain the unique culture
and environment that have driven the continuous innovation and entrepreneurial
agility that have us positioned as a leader in our market."
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of
the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative
and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing
Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.1 billion business with 71,000 employees
worldwide.
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