Thales signed an agreement to acquire a 35.51% stake in Exail Technologies from the Gorgé family. The company plans a subsequent tender offer for all remaining shares. This transaction values Exail at an enterprise value of approximately €3.9 billion. Thales will pay a purchase price of €134 per share.
This acquisition strengthens Thales' position in the underwater warfare and inertial navigation markets. Thales aims to accelerate development of unmanned mine countermeasures using Exail’s robotics. The deal enables Thales to provide integrated autonomous systems ranging from individual components to full platforms.
The initial stake acquisition should close in the third quarter of next year. Thales expects to complete the full takeover by 2028. This move consolidates the European defense landscape across the aerospace, defense, and maritime robotics sectors.