By Calvin Biesecker
Textron [TXT] yesterday said its Textron Systems division has acquired a small business unit from Crane Co. [CR] that designs and builds wireless monitoring systems, including an unattended ground sensor (UGS) product and remote monitoring system, that complements its existing line of urban and tactical UGS.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, although spokesmen for both companies said it would be immaterial to their respective financial results. Texas-based Crane Wireless Monitoring Solutions (WMS) has 25 employees.
Crane WMS customers include the Army, Air National Guard, Energy Department and others. The company’s MicroObserver UGS is a relatively low cost, very reliable and easy to deploy system for non-line-of-sight detection that Textron believes also has applications for critical infrastructure protection such as monitoring oil pipelines, a Textron spokesman told Defense Daily.
Textron Systems’ UGS line–which include systems for tactical and urban applications–are used with the Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization program and are higher end systems with more capability, the Textron spokesman said.
Crane WMS also offers the VantedgePoint Remote Monitoring System, which helps create a wireless network for sensors to connect to and can be deployed in fixed sites like a tactical operations center or mobile in vehicles such as a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
The acquisition is focused on the products and engineering talent, the Textron spokesman said.
Crane WMS will become part of Textron Defense Systems within Textron Systems.