UAV designer and manufacturer AeroVironment (AV) will acquire fellow U.S.-based defense technology company BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction valued at $4.1 billion. The deal, expected to close in the first half of 2025, brings together complementary capabilities and expands AV’s global footprint, the company said. With BlueHalo’s portfolio, AV said it will enter into segments that will significantly increase the company’s total addressable market, including counter-uncrewed aircraft systems, directed energy, electronic warfare, and cyber and space technologies. The combined company will benefit from greater resources, enabling faster innovation and more efficient deployment of critical defense systems. Additionally, the combination will expand global reach, enabling the distribution of BlueHalo’s solutions to AV’s larger international customer base. Following the completion of the transaction, AV president, CEO, and chair, Wahid Nawabi, will assume the same positions at the combined company. Jonathan Moneymaker, CEO of BlueHalo, will serve as a strategic advisor to Nawabi and the combined company’s management team.