Boeing Agrees to Acquire Liquid Robotics

By Tess Stynes and Doug Cameron 

Boeing Co. agreed to acquire Liquid Robotics, maker of a wave and solar-powered autonomous robot, building on a collaboration between the companies and expanding Boeing's capabilities in unmanned underwater vehicles.

Liquid Robotics's ocean robot, called the Wave Glider, is used for ocean data collection and communications. In September of 2014 Boeing and Liquid Robotics entered a collaboration deal on a version of the Wave Glider to enhance its capabilities.

Financial terms weren't provided for the deal, the second acquisition of an unmanned undersea vehicle maker this year by a major defense firm. Rival General Dynamics Corp. acquired submarine robot maker Bluefin Robotics during February.

Boeing executives have been upbeat about the future of the undersea business, though some rivals said the Navy has been slow to come up with deals for their use after encouraging industry to invest heavily in development.

"There's a lot happening," said Leanne Caret, chief executive of Boeing's defense arm in an interview on the sidelines of a defense conference last weekend.

Ms. Caret said Boeing had received inquiries from a number of potential government customers about the Echo Voyager, a 51-foot unmanned submarine it has already developed, as well as from companies in the energy sector that make extensive use of underwater vehicles.

Write to Tess Stynes at [e-mail] and Doug Cameron at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 06, 2016 16:28 ET (21:28 GMT)

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