Leonardo DRS to acquire Raft for $450 million, boosting US defense AI

Leonardo DRS, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy's Leonardo, signed a definitive agreement to acquire Virginia‑based Raft for roughly USD 450 million in cash. The purchase will add open‑architecture mission software, artificial‑intelligence and multi‑domain data‑fusion capabilities to Leonardo DRS’s defense portfolio.

Raft, founded in 2018, provides software that fuses data from distributed sensors to give real‑time situational awareness for national‑security customers. The transaction will be financed with cash on hand and a revolving credit line, and it remains subject to standard regulatory approvals, with closing expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. Leonardo DRS holds a 71.38 % stake in the listed company and said the deal supports its broader technology strategy. Leonardo CEO Lorenzo Mariani and Leonardo DRS President and CEO John Baylouny both commented that the acquisition aligns with the group’s plan to deliver integrated, AI‑enabled mission solutions.