L3Harris Completes Viasat Link 16 Deal

Viasat Link 16 network visualization. Photo: Viasat

L3Harris Technologies on Tuesday closed its $2 billion acquisition of Viasat’s Tactical Data Links (TDL) product line, strengthening its focus on the Defense Department’s efforts to link its systems and sensors into single network.

The TDL acquisition was announced in October and had been expected to close months from now, but U.S. and allied partner regulators approved the acquisition in December, moving up the closure date.

The TDL products, also called Link 16, are integrated on military platforms to securely transmit voice and data communications. The business includes 450 employees and generates about $400 million in annual sales.

Separately, NV5 Global  in late December said it has agreed to acquire the Visual Information Solutions business of L3Harris in a deal that would expand its work in geospatial data services. The acquisition is expected to close during the first half of 2023 subject to regulatory approvals. L3Harris said it expects the divestiture to result in a $100 million benefit to the company.

Christopher Kubasik, chairman and CEO of L3Harris, said in December that the company was looking at a couple of business divestitures in 2023.

L3Harris before Christmas announced the $4.7 billion acquisition of rocket maker and propulsion system developer Aerojet Rocketdyne, which would provide an entirely new product line and further expand its business supporting space and weapon systems.

A version of this article was first published by Via Satellite sister publication Defense Daily.