French giant Thales acquires Israeli spacetech startup Get SAT
French giant Thales acquires Israeli spacetech startup Get SAT
Get SAT provides efficient antenna and terminals that offer high-data-rate communications
French giant Thales has purchased the Israeli satellite company Get SAT, according to an interview given by the company's executives to the website Breaking Defense. Get SAT provides efficient antenna and terminals that offer high-data-rate communications and operates from Rehovot. According to the report, the company confirmed that it is acquiring the Israeli company. The amount of the purchase was not disclosed. Calcalist previously revealed that MK Benny Gantz owns 2.37% of the shares in the Israeli company.
“Thales confirms the acquisition of GET Sat,” a Thales official told Breaking Defense. “Get SAT will complement Thales’s existing global SATCOM business and enhance our secure satellite communications offering and leading position in communications integration.”
Thales has a market cap of over $35 billion and employed over 78,000 as of 2023, with its annual revenue reaching 18.43 billion euros.
The motivation for the purchase, according to Thales, is SpaceX, Elon Musk's space company. According to an executive at Thales, “Requirements in the market are changing dramatically thanks to Elon Musk and SpaceX,” Aaron Brosnan, president of Thales subsidiary Tampa Microwave, told Breaking Defense. “Really now what the [US Defense Department] wants is terminals that can do any orbit, any network, any band, on the move.”
Get SAT was founded in 2013 by IDF drone unit veteran Kfir Benjamin, who serves as CEO, and 8200 veteran Oleg Roitberg. The two are the controlling owners of the company, which employs about 40 people.
