Aerospace and government defense contractors Raytheon and United Technologies have announced a "merger of equals" that will create $74 billion in combined annual sales.
Among the big potential marks:
- What will the combined company do with Raytheon's cybersecurity and managed security services businesses -- particularly the Forcepoint business unit?
- Also, what will the combined company do with United Technologies' Lenel -- a provider of security systems and services that protect buildings, people and assets.
MSSP Alert is tuning into the M&A announcement to gather more details.
Raytheon and United Technologies Merge: Forcepoint Ownership Question Marks?
During an October 2018 earnings call, Raytheon CFO Toby O'Brien said the company would consider "all options" for Forcepoint -- perhaps meaning that the business unit may eventually be sold, Wall Street observers indicated at the time, according to Reuters.
Speculation about a potential Forcepoint sale has been strong in recent months.
Forcepoint, previously known as Websense or Raytheon|Websense, is an Austin, Texas-based company. Raytheon acquired 80 percent of the business in April 2015. By 2017, Forcepoint acquired RedOwl for security analytics technology. Also of note, Raytheon is a Top 20 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) provider.
Raytheon's overall cyber business spans such products and services as:
- Cyber analytics and intelligence services;
- Cyber as a Service;
- Cybersecurity automation and orchestration management;
- Cyber physical systems security;
- Cyber resiliency;
- Cyber systems integration;
- Cyber warfare;
- Computer network operations mission support; and
- mission services.
Raytheon and United Technologies Merge: Minimal Initial Cyber Details
The Raytheon-United Technologies merger announcement briefly mentioned cyber protection for connected aircraft, but otherwise did not mention the companies' cybersecurity efforts.
MSSP Alert has reached out to both companies for more details about their combined cyber strategy. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2019.
