Raytheon [RTN] on Wednesday said it has acquired privately held Blackbird Technologies for $420 million, expanding its presence with the Special Operations community and expanding its capabilities in persistent surveillance, secure tactical communications and cyber security.

Raytheon did not say what Blackbird’s annual sales are, although it said the acquisition would be immaterial to its fourth quarter sales and earnings. Blackbird, which is based in Northern Virginia, has more than 570 employees.

Lynn Dugle, president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services segment. Photo: Raytheon
Lynn Dugle, president of Raytheon’s Intelligence, Information and Services segment. Photo: Raytheon

Raytheon said the deal moves it into one of the top providers to the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

Blackbird’s core capabilities are in persistent surveillance, cyber security and global intelligence systems. In addition to customers in SOCOM, Blackbird also provides services and solutions to the intelligence community and intelligence organizations supporting the Defense Department.

“Blackbird expands Raytheon’s already established footprint in the intelligence community market while helping to grow our cyber operations and special missions support to the Department of Defense,” Lynn Dugle, president of Raytheon Intelligence Information and Systems, said in a statement. Blackbird will become part of Dugle’s business.

Raytheon said that Blackbird’s leadership will continue to lead the company.

Peggy Styer, Blackbird’s CEO, said in a statement that “Raytheon’s extraordinary technical depth and our combined capabilities in cyber security, persistent surveillance, and secure tactical communications will allow us to deliver the next generation of end-to-end solutions to our customers in the intelligence community and special operations markets.”