AEVEX to acquire BlackSea Technologies

AEVEX Corp., a U.S. defense technology company specializing in autonomous systems, AI-enabled mission software, and advanced ISR and electronic warfare solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BlackSea Technologies, a leading provider of unmanned surface and subsea vessels in the U.S. defense market.

Transaction Details

AEVEX will acquire BlackSea for up to $650 million on a cash-free, debt-free basis, consisting of approximately $250 million in cash and $350 million in shares of AEVEX Class A common stock priced at $27.50 per share (approximately 12.7 million shares). The agreement also includes $50 million in performance-based earnout consideration. The acquisition is expected to close in September 2026, pending regulatory approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions.

Strategic Impact

• Combines AEVEX and BlackSea into one of the industry’s most comprehensive autonomous systems portfolios, spanning Groups I-V UAS, USVs, UUVs, contested logistics vessels, long-range ISR platforms, mission autonomy software, and deployable additive manufacturing.
• Expands AEVEX’s addressable market by granting access to BlackSea’s Navy customer base and a major portion of the U.S. maritime autonomy sector.
• Integrates AEVEX’s CompassX autonomy ecosystem with BlackSea’s maritime platforms to enable multi-domain coordination, GPS-denied navigation, and rapid payload integration across air and maritime systems.
• Combines AEVEX’s U.S. manufacturing scale with BlackSea’s 57,000-square-foot Baltimore production facility, featuring deepwater access and advanced robotics, to accelerate delivery for DoD and allied customers.

Financial Outlook

BlackSea is projected to generate $150 million in FY 2026 revenue with margins aligned to AEVEX’s. The acquisition is expected to drive above-market growth in FY 2027 and beyond, supported by multi-year contract visibility.

Leadership Perspectives

Brian Raduenz, Founder and Executive Chairman, AEVEX: “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. Collectively, we are defined by our people, our values, and our impact on national security.”

Roger Wells, CEO, AEVEX: “BlackSea adds meaningful maritime scale to our mission with operationally proven platforms, deep customer relationships, and real production capacity that matches customer requirements. Together, we intend to create one of the largest pure-play multi-domain autonomous systems providers.”

Bob Pudney, CEO, BlackSea: “Joining AEVEX is a natural next step for BlackSea. 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.”