Defence systems company Australian Technology Information (ATI) has confirmed that it has been acquired by WA-based shipbuilder Austal.
ATI’s managing director Brian Mansell said the 20-employee company had shifted heavily into growth mode with the announcement delivered to the ASX in early November.
ATI performs deeper-level maintenance on a range of software and hardware systems for the Air Force, Navy and Army.
Projects have included thermal imaging on naval helicopters, naval radars, upgrades to Anzac ship systems and emergency beacons for Collins submarines.
Mansell was optimistic about the opportunities the acquisition offered the company.
“They are very proudly Australian…we are going to be their systems integrators around the world.”
Austal has been locked in the US competition with Lockheed Martin on the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program.
Last week the US Navy announced that if both companies agreed, it would order ten ships from each company.
Carrying forward the two LCS designs will give the USN expanded options for configuring the future fleet.
Each design has unique features that can be exploited for planned and future missions.
There are also tremendous opportunities for foreign sales of the two designs in the Middle East and Asia.