WASHINGTON — Defense technology company AEVEX is acquiring naval technology firm BlackSea Technologies for up to $650 million, in an attempt to bolster its presence in the unmanned surface and undersea vessel space, according to an announcement Wednesday.
The companies said the acquisition, slated to close in September, is also meant to expand “customer access” to the Navy, US Special Operations Command, and other allied partners. It will integrate “complementary technology across air, surface, and undersea platforms.”
“BlackSea brings exceptional and strategically aligned maritime capability, but just as importantly, it brings a culture of mission focus and ingenuity that reflect the very roots of AEVEX,” Brian Raduenz, founder and executive chairman of AEVEX, said in a statement.
BlackSea builds the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), a 16-foot small unmanned autonomous vessel that the Navy is experimenting with out of Naval Base Coronado. The Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron 3, which the service launched in 2024, operates the system.
AEVEX, based out of Solana Beach, Calif., builds a series of autonomous systems, including an unmanned surface vessel dubbed Mako that is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, as well as kinetic operations, according to the firm.
The companies said that the deal includes $250 million in cash, and approximately $350 million in shares of Class A common stock of AEVEX. Likewise, BlackSea could also secure $50 million in performance‑based earnout consideration.
“Joining AEVEX is a natural next step for BlackSea,” Bob Pudney, chief executive officer of BlackSea, said in a statement. “We’ve spent years building and deploying autonomous maritime systems in real‑world environments, from hybrid fleet operations to contested logistics, and AEVEX brings the scale, manufacturing depth, and autonomy ecosystem needed to accelerate everything we’ve built. Our mission stays the same; our ability to deliver it grows.”