Gooch & Housego (G&H) has acquired Phoenix Optical Technologies, a manufacturer of precision optics technology based in St. Asaph, Wales. The acquisition, valued at up to £6.75 million (~$8.8 million), strengthens G&H’s position in aerospace and defense while expanding its presence in the U.K. and European markets as a supplier to defense primes. Phoenix Optical Technologies brings complementary expertise in precision optics processes, including prisms, domes, specialist machining, and single point diamond turning. The company additionally offers onsite capabilities for the molding and annealing of glass, and its capabilities are expected to bolster the offerings of G&H’s Optical Systems division. The acquisition, G&H said, is also poised to support customers beyond aerospace and defense, in the industrial and life sciences markets. G&H acquired thin-film coatings developer Artemis Optical and polymer optics manufacturer GS Optics last year. Earlier this year, it sold its EM4 optoelectronics subsidiary in a deal worth up to $12 million.