Motorola Solutions to acquire defense radio maker Silvus Technologies for $4.4 billion

In this photo illustration, the Motorola logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — Telecommunications and defense tech company Motorola Solutions announced it acquired Silvus Technologies, a defense wireless-radio firm based in Los Angeles, for $4.4 billion. 

The acquisition comes as Motorola Solutions looks to establish its place in a market with a rising demand for communications that can operate in contested environments. 

“The companies expect to combine their exceptional engineering teams and leverage Motorola Solutions’ go-to-market footprint to reach customers globally,” a Tuesday press release from Motorola Solutions stated. 

Silvus, is most well known for its software-defined mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) radios which it supplied to the Army’s previous Robotic Combat Vehicles program as well the Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) program. MANET technology allows users to communicate via video and voice channels on a secure network that doesn’t rely on a fixed infrastructure. The radios “mesh together to establish large, scalable and self-healing networks that adapt to continuous mobility,” the press release said. 

“This acquisition underscores our unwavering conviction that technology is the bedrock for protecting communities, securing borders and defending against today’s ever evolving threats, whether in the air, on the ground or in the water,” Chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions Greg Brown said in the release. As a result, we’re now expanding our intelligent network footprint and powering next-generation security for those who stand on the front lines everywhere.”

In addition to the $4.4 billion up-front consideration, “Silvus has the potential to receive an earnout of up to $600 million in the aggregate based on business performance over consecutive twelve-month periods ending in 2027 and 2028,” according to the press release. The deal is expected to be completed at the end of the third or fourth quarter this year. 

“We’re inspired by Motorola Solutions’ deep tradition of innovation,” CEO of Silvus Technologies Babak Daneshrad said in the release. “The idea that safety is the foundation on which better lives are built is not just a deeply held belief our companies share, but is the motivating force behind our R&D and work. I look forward to our future together, unifying the strengths of our advanced engineering teams in pursuit of serving those who protect us all.”