BlueHalo, a company engaged in global defense tech, will acquire Eqlipse Technologies (Eqlipse), a provider of differentiated products and solutions to the Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC).
Bolstered by Eqlipse’s high-end technical talent and suite of products, BlueHalo will deliver enhanced scale and broader capabilities to its customers, accelerating the development and fielding of its advanced defense technologies. The combined entity will have a total employee count of nearly 2,400 across 11 states and annual revenue approaching $1 billion. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2024.
Current BlueHalo CEO, Jonathan Moneymaker, will lead the combined company.
Since forming in 2019, BlueHalo has established itself as a trusted partner to the DoD and IC, serving as the prime contractor awardee on top-priority contracts such as the USSF’s recent $1.4 billion Satellite Communication Augmentation Resource (SCAR) program. BlueHalo is the first to successfully operationally field High Energy Laser Counter-Unmanned Autonomous Systems (CUAS) with its LOCUST system and has become a leader in Radio Frequency (RF) C-UAS, delivering its 1,000th system last year.
From laser communication payloads to critical Class-A satellite subsystems, BlueHalo has more than 260 systems flying on-orbit. Eqlipse offers a deep portfolio of solutions delivering industry-leading capabilities, spanning full spectrum cyber and signals intelligence (SIGINT) engineering, Electronic Warfare (EW), digital operations and identity management, and cutting-edge R&D.
Eqlipse will further enhance BlueHalo’s ability to provide next-generation products and solutions to its customers by adding world-class EW products and capabilities, adding significant depth within the company’s current cyber franchise, expanding BlueHalo’s best-in-class suite of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) offerings, and augmenting the combined entity’s advanced R&D capabilities.
Upon completion of the transaction, BlueHalo will hold nearly 90 patents, employ more than 200 PhDs in relevant fields, and offer 20 product lines featuring industry-leading solutions across four key mission areas: Space, C-UAS and Autonomous Systems, Cyber and EW, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)–all stated priority areas for the DoD. The company will remain headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, and will continue to invest in bringing the latest technological advancements to the defense industry.
BlueHalo and Eqlipse are both portfolio companies of Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, D.C-area private investment firm specializing in government regulated industries.
“The only constant in global defense is the certainty that threats will continue to evolve, new battlefields will emerge, and the landscape will change,” said Jonathan Moneymaker. “Combining BlueHalo and Eqlipse–both with a shared passion for pairing innovative technology with customer intimacy–creates an enhanced organization with the proven ability to deliver on some of the most complex and challenging problems our customers face in these uncertain times. This acquisition squarely catapults us to the forefront of the industry, providing additional size and scale, and solidifying the company’s position as the top alternative to the largest government contractors. It furthers our ability to drive unbridled, rapid prototyping and innovative work our customers have come to rely on without the bureaucratic obstacles, which typically slow development and inflate budgets.”
“I’m incredibly proud of what we have been able to accomplish to date with Eqlipse and am excited for the many benefits this combination will provide for both our employees and our customers,” said Dennis Kelly, CEO of Eqlipse. “With enhanced scale and capabilities, BlueHalo will remain dedicated to providing the rapid innovation needed by our customers and delivering a protective ring around everything we hold dear.”
“Unifying BlueHalo and Eqlipse’s capabilities will accelerate our development of new technologies for our defense and intelligence customers to a pace that others cannot match,” said David Wodlinger, a Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners. “The strategic combination of BlueHalo and Eqlipse creates a scale of innovation that establishes the combined company as one of the preeminent defense technology platforms in the industry.”
