NEW York-based defence contractor L-3 Communications Corporation has expanded its Australasian operations with the acquisition of HSA Systems Pty Ltd. HSA, which provides geospatial, marine and electronic systems to maritime and defence customers, is L- 3 Communications’ second Australian acquisition following the 2006 merger with Nautronix. Nautronix was first established in North Fremantle in 1984 and spent many years listed on the Australian exchange before moving its head office to Aberdeen in Scotland in 2002. It was then bought by L-3 Communications in 2006. The latest acquisition expands L-3’s global presence with offices in Fremantle, Sydney, Wollongong and Wellington, New Zealand. L-3 Nautronix managing director Mike Gallagher will lead the combined business. “HSA is a significant addition to our global maritime capability, as well as a complementary addition to our recently formed Marine and Power Systems Group,” L-3 Communications chief Michael Strianese said. HSA has annual sales of about $11 million. The acquisition of HSA will bolster L-3’s current line of networked undersea solutions and power and control systems to provide fully integrated system solutions. HSA already produces and maintains nautical charts and supplies customised software and IT systems for the Australian Hydrographic Services, the Royal Australian Navy and Land Information New Zealand. The data collected is used by the maritime industry to identify the details of ocean and coastal areas.
