Textron Defence Systems has bought Crane Wireless Monitoring Solutions (WMS) and will incorporate its 25 staff working on sensor network applications in Texas into its own operations.
WMS supplies products such as the MicroObserver unattended ground system and counts the US Army, Air National Guard and the Department of Energy among its biggest customers.
Mark Catizone, senior vice-president and general manager of Textron, noted that there is a growing for networked devices of this kind and believes the WMS deal will assist in extending its portfolio of products.
He said: "Their extensive radio communications, wireless systems and signal processing expertise complement our ISR products, including our urban and tactical unattended ground sensors."
Its parent company also supplies solutions to a range of clients involved in the aerospace, industrial and financial services sectors as well as defence.
Among the list of brands it owns is the light aircraft manufacturer Cessena, Jacobsen, Greenlee and E-Z-GO.