South African defence company Paramount has announced the acquisition of the military business of Aerosud and the creation of a new corporate division called Paramount Robotic Systems.
The announcements expand the company’s rapidly growing presence in the aerospace and defence market.
Founder Ivan Ichikowitz launched Paramount in 1994 focused largely on ground systems, but has been developing its portfolio of aerospace products since acquiring surplus Dassault Mirage F1s in 2006.
Paramount then acquired a 19% stake in Aerosud in 2009, then acquired ATE in June 2013. Aerosud has been a component supplier to Boeing and Airbus commercial aircraft programmes, and also has a business making interiors and wingtips for the A400M transport. ATE has a line of unmanned air vehicles and the capability to modernise the avionics of Soviet-era helicopters, such as the Mil Mi-17 and Mi-24.
In 2011, Paramount and Aerosud formed a joint venture to develop the advanced high performance reconnaissance light aircraft (AHRLAC), which achieved first flight on 13 August.
Paramount will rename Aerosud Aerospace as Paramount Aerospace after the acquisition.
Separately, Paramount is forming a standalone robotics division to develop autonomous capabilities with airborne, land and sea applications, the company says. The acquisition of ATE, now named Paramount Advanced Technologies, provided the company with a small tactical unmanned aircraft called the Vulture.
Meanwhile, Paramount also has launched production of composite main rotor and tail rotor blades for the Mi-24 and Mi-17.
“It is also the Group’s intention to produce composite blades for other helicopters in the near future,” the company says in a statement.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
