Thales acquires Exail Technologies stake as it expands undersea warfare footprint

Thales has announced it will acquire a controlling stake in French maritime drone maker Exail Technologies, expanding its presence in the undersea warfare sector. The French aerospace and defense firm is acquiring 35.5 percent of Exail shares from the Gorgé family, with the purchase expected to close by the end of summer 2027. Following this, Thales will submit a mandatory tender offer to purchase all of the company for approximately €134.00 per share, valuing the company at roughly €3.9 billion, with that acquisition slated for closing by early 2028. Patrice Caine, chairman and CEO of Thales, stated the companies plan to join forces to strengthen their high-technology industrial base and reinforce Europe’s technological sovereignty. Separately, Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced an agreement to acquire four underwater technology firms—Next Geosolutions, WSense, Graal Tech, and Defcomm—for approximately €600 million. Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, said the acquisitions mark a historic transformation for the company, creating an international champion in the underwater domain. He added that the move will accelerate the execution of their business plan, strengthening profitability while expanding their presence in a fast-growing market where dual-use components are expected to become increasingly important.