Leonardo Finmeccanica : acquires Sistemi Dinamici and becomes stronger in unmanned systems

• Mauro Moretti: 'The acquisition is a testament to the quality of our investments in the field of unmanned systems, a sector with high added value in which Leonardo is a leader in Europe'

• With this action Leonardo acquires from IDS the 100% of the shares and the full control of the Hero unmanned programme

• Hero is an unmanned light helicopter ideal for various civil and military applications

Leonardo-Finmeccanica acquired the full control of Sistemi Dinamici S.p.A from IDS S.p.A on December 23rd. The control of the company, which involved the remaining 60 percent of shares, is aimed at further strengthening the commitment of Leonardo in unmanned products thanks to the acquisition of the new unmanned lightweight helicopter SD-150 Hero programme. Leonardo now widens its unmanned helicopter portfolio, which also includes the SW-4 Solo, and consolidates its capabilities as a system integrator, developing both platforms and equipment and sensors.

Mauro Moretti, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo said: 'This acquisition is a testament to the quality of our investments in the field of unmanned systems, a sector with high added value in which Leonardo is a leader in Europe. Thanks to a defined investment strategy, our portfolio is further enriched, making Leonardo even more competitive and ready to meet the future challenges in advanced technologies.'

Based in Pisa, Sistemi Dinamici was founded in 2006 with the aim of developing modern helicopter technologies.

Hero is a state of the art unmanned helicopter (RUAS - Rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial System), which brings together Leonardo's experience in helicopters and system integration. The design of Hero responds to current and future market requirements for increasingly extended operational capabilities through the use of unmanned systems. Developed for land and naval operations, with maximum versatility in mind, Hero is the perfect solution in terms of cost/effectiveness for tasks such as monitoring the environment and critical infrastructure, supporting the rescue efforts and disaster relief, damage assessment during natural disasters and border surveillance.

Leonardo is among the few companies in the world to possess a wide range of technologies in the UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) sector: from aircraft manufactured independently, such as Falco, the Sky-Y, the SW-4 Solo and Hero helicopters, as well as small drones for surveillance and picking up information, to European collaborations in the MALE RPAS and nEUROn programmes. Leonardo is also the only European entity that can provide unmanned solutions for ISTAR missions (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance), integrating platforms, radar and electro-optic sensors and mission and ground control systems.

Rome 27/12/2016 11:55