ROXEL acquired by MBDA
Context
MBDA has completed the acquisition of the 50% stake held by Safran in Roxel, making the tactical propulsion leader a 100% subsidiary of the MBDA Group. The transaction, finalized on December 19, 2024, and announced in January 2025, marks a significant shift from the joint venture structure established in 2003. Roxel will remain an autonomous entity, continuing to fulfill its contracts with other system integrators and pursuing export opportunities. The strategic rationale for the deal is driven by the urgent need to increase production cadences in a "war economy" environment. Full ownership allows MBDA to better synchronize industrial cycles between missile airframes and their propulsion systems, while accelerating R&D in solid propulsion technologies. This vertical integration is intended to strengthen MBDA’s resilience and industrial sovereignty in France and the UK. The deal was completed following months of strategic positioning, as MBDA sought full control of this essential sovereign asset to manage its massive backlog and future development programs.
ROXEL, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2024, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, a level to compare with the average currently observed in the Industry & Manufacturing sector (11.6x).
Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.
-> Deep-dive in Industry & Manufacturing market trends
Target
Roxel is the European leader and a major global player in tactical propulsion, holding approximately 60% of the European market. Headquartered in France with operations also in the UK, the organization designs, develops, and manufactures solid propulsion systems and associated equipment for all types of rockets, tactical missiles, and cruise missiles. Serving air, naval, and land forces, its technology is critical for both the development of next-generation weaponry and the "re-engineering" of existing missile ranges. The entity operates four production sites (three in France, one in the UK) and employs approximately 800 people. Originally formed in 2003 through the merger of Celerg and Royal Ordnance Rocket Motors, the company acts as a vital "national champion" and strategic supplier to multiple global missile system integrators beyond its parent group.
Ent. Value
LOGIN
Equity Value
LOGIN
Multiples
EV / Revenue
LOGIN
EV / EBITDA
LOGIN
EV / EBIT
LOGIN
Historical Financials (EUR)
Similar deals in Industry & Manufacturing
| Date | Acquirer | Target | Country | Sector | Deal Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/2025 | ALFA LAVAL | NRG MARINE | UNITED KINGDOM | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Alfa Laval has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NRG Marine, a specialized provider of ultrasonic anti-fouling technology, in a full strategic buyout expected to close during the second quarter of 2025. This platform investment is a highly synergistic move for the acquirer's marine division, fundamentally aimed at enriching its portfolio of sustainable technological solutions. The integration of the proprietary ultrasonic technology allows the acquirer to offer a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the critical issue of bio-fouling, complementing its existing filter and UV treatment capabilities |
| 02/2025 | TRIMAS AEROSPACE | GMT AEROSPACE | GERMANY | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | TriMas has completed the acquisition of the aerospace business of GMT Gummi-Metall-Technik GmbH, a maneuver designed to fundamentally reinforce the group's technical operational depth in the European defense and commercial aviation sectors. The strategic rationale for this transaction centers on a "geographic-anchoring" play, merging the target's industry-leading expertise in tie-rods and anti-vibration hardware with the group’s extensive North American distribution and engineering infrastructure |
| 01/2025 | PAI PARTNERS / ADIA | ALVEST | FRANCE | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | PAI Partners and ADIA completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Alvest from Ardian. The incumbent sponsor, Ardian, retains a minority stake, and the founders and management team significantly reinvested in the transaction. This new ownership structure is designed to fund Alvest's next expansion phase, with a heavy emphasis on technological innovation: accelerating the deployment of electric GSE fleets, developing autonomous ground vehicles, and expanding high-margin services such as predictive maintenance and leasing solutions |
| 11/2024 | AEROVIRONMENT | BLUEHALO | UNITED STATES | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | In November 2024, AeroVironment announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction. The deal aims to create a more diversified defense technology player capable of operating across the entire spectrum of modern operational domains, including land, air, sea, space, and cyber. The acquisition enables AeroVironment, historically recognized for its tactical drones and Switchblade loitering munitions, to significantly expand its technological portfolio. Through the integration of BlueHalo, the group strengthens its presence in several high-growth segments, including counter-drone systems, space technologies, electronic warfare, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence-based solutions |
| 10/2024 | ARDIAN | JPB SYSTEME | FRANCE | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Ardian Growth entered into a partnership the management team of JPB Systeme through a minority equity investment. This primary transaction is designed to provide the company with the financial and strategic resources necessary to accelerate its international expansion and sustain its high-paced innovation strategy. The partnership focuses on consolidating JPB Systeme's leadership in its historical aerospace markets while supporting the commercial deployment of its Industry 4.0 innovations, such as Keyprod and Boltrakk |
| 10/2024 | DEDIENNE AEROSPACE | THE CHAMPION GSE | UNITED STATES | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Dedienne Aerospace has acquired The Champion GSE, strengthening its footprint in the United States and diversifying its product portfolio. The sale was triggered by the lack of a family successor for the American target. This acquisition allows Dedienne to add "sensitive transport containers" to its existing maintenance tooling offer. Post-acquisition, Dedienne plans to invest EUR5 million in the Ohio facility and double its workforce there within three years. Additionally, Dedienne will replicate Champion's manufacturing capabilities in Europe by opening a new production line at its recently acquired site in Saint-Juery (France) to serve the EMEA market |
| 01/2024 | CRANE COMPANY | VIAN ENTERPRISES | UNITED STATES | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Crane has successfully finalized the acquisition of 100% of Vian Enterprises, integrating the organization into its Fluid Solutions division within the Aerospace & Electronics segment. This strategic transaction is designed to significantly expand the group's portfolio of mission-critical aerospace flow control products, particularly in the lubrication and thermal management segments. The strategic rationale centers on the target’s sole-sourced and proprietary content on the most attractive and highest-volume commercial and military aircraft platforms currently in service |
| 12/2023 | HENSOLDT GROUP | ESG ELEKTRONIKSYSTEM- UND LOGISTIK | GERMANY | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | HENSOLDT Group has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 % of ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik‑GmbH from an investment vehicle managed by Armira Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG. The transaction includes an earn‑out linked to ESG’s performance targets through the end of 2024 and is subject to customary regulatory approvals, with completion anticipated in the first half of 2024. The acquisition aligns ESG’s software engineering and systems‑integration expertise with HENSOLDT’s sensor portfolio, creating a combined offering that addresses digital battlefield solutions, integrated network capabilities and multi‑domain operations |
| 04/2023 | ADAGIA PARTNERS | ADHETEC | FRANCE | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Adagia Partners and Bpifrance entered exclusive negotiations to acquire ADHETEC from Alvest. The transaction aims to support management in its international expansion and to transform ADHETEC into a consolidation platform for customized protection and decoration products in the aerospace sector. |
| 12/2022 | IXO PRIVATE EQUITY / BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT | AIR SUPPORT | FRANCE | Aerospace, Naval & Defense | Air Support has completed a leveraged buyout (LBO) transaction with iXO Private Equity, an existing shareholder, and BNP Paribas Développement, which is joining the company's capital to support a new phase of growth for the aerospace maintenance specialist. This operation enables Sabine Tertre, the company's president, to continue developing the group while relying on financial partners capable of supporting her ambitions in France and internationally. The financing is complemented by a banking pool led by Caisse d'Épargne Midi-Pyrénées, Banque Populaire Occitane, and LCL |
REFERENCES
Revenue range: 150M - 250M EUR
Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of ROXEL by MBDA are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.
Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).
Press release: view release
Target: roxel
Acquirer: mbda