Firefly Aerospace Acquires SciTec for $855M to Boost Defense Capabilities

Firefly Aerospace announced Sunday its agreement to acquire Princeton, New Jersey-based SciTec for approximately $855 million through a combination of $300 million in cash and $555 million in Firefly shares issued at $50 per share. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Goldman Sachs serves as Firefly's exclusive financial advisor with Kirkland & Ellis as legal counsel, while Baird and Cooley represent SciTec in the transaction. Upon completion, SciTec will operate as a Firefly subsidiary under current CEO Jim Lisowski, who will report to Firefly CEO Jason Kim.

The acquisition significantly broadens Firefly's defense portfolio by adding SciTec's mission-proven software analytics, remote sensing, and multi-phenomenology data expertise. SciTec brings core capabilities in missile warning, tracking and defense, space domain awareness, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and autonomous command and control systems.

"The acquisition of SciTec enhances our ability to support a growing number of defense missions and provides us with a significant operational advantage," said Firefly CEO Jason Kim. "These capabilities significantly enhance our ability to deliver integrated, software-defined solutions for critical national security imperatives, particularly Golden Dome."

SciTec generated approximately $164 million in revenues for the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2025, driven by robust contracts supporting the intelligence community, defense and national security agencies, and commercial customers. The company's financial performance demonstrates its established position in the defense technology sector.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Space Force awarded SciTec a significant $259 million contract to develop a scalable, cyber-secure ground processing capability for the Future Operational Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) framework, strengthening the service's missile warning and tracking mission.

This acquisition represents Firefly's strategic repositioning from primarily a launch-and-spacecraft manufacturer to a vertically integrated defense contractor capable of delivering end-to-end space and defense solutions. The deal comes nearly two months after Firefly's IPO, which valued the company at nearly $10 billion.

The combined capabilities position Firefly to compete more effectively for large defense contracts, particularly as the Pentagon increasingly seeks commercial partners for missile tracking, early-warning systems, and space domain awareness programs. SciTec's ground and onboard data processing capabilities, along with AI-enabled systems designed for low latency operations, complement Firefly's existing launch, lunar, and in-space services.