Lockheed Martin has signed a definitive agreement to acquire naval defence company Ultra Maritime from private equity firm Advent for $3.45 billion, as reported by Anadolu Agency. The deal represents a significant expansion of Lockheed Martin's capabilities in anti-submarine warfare and undersea defence technologies. Advent confirmed the transaction on Monday, marking a major strategic move in the defence sector. According to Livemint, Advent International had put Ultra Maritime up for sale earlier in 2026, reportedly seeking a valuation of more than 3 billion pounds (about $4 billion). The acquisition adds sonar, sonobuoy, radar, torpedo defense, and autonomous maritime sensing technologies to Lockheed's defense portfolio, significantly enhancing the company's undersea warfare capabilities.
According to Anadolu Agency, Ultra Maritime is part of Cobham Ultra and specialises in anti-submarine warfare and undersea defence technologies. The business was created following Advent's strategic acquisitions in the defence sector. Advent acquired British aerospace company Cobham in 2019 and subsequently combined it with Ultra Electronics following its acquisition in 2022, creating the current Cobham Ultra structure. As reported by Anadolu Agency, Ultra Maritime develops and supplies mission-critical naval systems, including sonar technologies, sonobuoys, torpedo defense systems, radar solutions, and autonomous maritime sensing platforms for allied naval forces. The company also develops and delivers mission-critical systems including sonar technologies, sonobuoys, torpedo defense systems, radar solutions, and autonomous maritime sensing platforms. Ultra Maritime's international footprint and portfolio of exportable ASW products, such as its sonobuoys, towed sonar arrays and hull mounted sonar product lines, will complement and expand Lockheed Martin's ability to offer sonar solutions across next-generation maritime platforms.
As reported by Business Standard, Ultra Maritime received a development contract from the US Navy earlier this year for its underwater acoustic decoy system. The decoy system is specifically designed to protect ships and submarines from torpedoes, demonstrating the company's advanced capabilities in undersea defence technologies. The contract highlights the company's specialized expertise in naval defence systems.
Upon closing, the Ultra Maritime team will become part of Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems business area, as reported by Anadolu Agency. According to Livemint, Ultra Maritime is known for its expertise in anti-submarine warfare technologies and develops a range of defence systems, including radar and electronic warfare equipment, as well as torpedo defence countermeasures used by naval forces. "Undersea superiority belongs to those who move fastest and work together best," said Stephanie Hill, president of Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems. "By joining forces with Ultra Maritime, we're accelerating our commitment to deliver the most advanced undersea and anti-submarine warfare capabilities to our U.S. and allied partners across the globe." Shonnel Malani, managing partner at Advent and chair of the board at Ultra Electronics, highlighted the transformation: "When we invested in Ultra Maritime in 2022, we saw a business with mission-critical technology and a vital role in protecting allied nations from undersea threats, but one that had been underinvested and was not yet fully delivering for its customers. Over the past four years, we have changed that. Ultra Maritime is now a stronger, more innovative partner to allied navies, with improved execution, greater industrial capacity and next-generation autonomous solutions that position it well for future warfare." Lockheed Martin stated that the acquisition strengthens its position in advanced maritime defense systems amid rising global naval modernization programs.
