Shield to acquire MESA radar maker Echodyne for $5.3 billion

Shield agrees to buy Echodyne, the Kirkland-based radar maker, in a deal valued at $5.3 billion. The purchase brings software-defined MESA radars, used in counter-UAS systems and for UAS detect-and-avoid, into Shield's Mission Systems business.

By SamPublished November 10, 2026Updated November 10, 20262 min read

At closing Shield pays and issues $4.8 billion; a further sum of up to $500 million depends on Echodyne hitting agreed performance targets. Closing is expected in early 2027, pending regulatory approvals and customary conditions.

Shield raises $2.5 billion to fund the purchase: $1 billion from a Series H round valued at $28.8 billion post-money, $1 billion of structured equity from Blackstone-managed funds, and $500 million of debt led by JPMorgan Chase Bank.

Echodyne develops compact solid-state radars based on its patented MESA (Metamaterials Electronically Scanned Array) architecture. Customers in more than 40 countries have fielded them in hundreds of counter-drone and security systems. Integrators mount the sensors on remote weapon stations and on laser and microwave directed-energy systems, where they cue interceptors against incoming drones. Civilian users include stadium and airport operators and police and fire departments. Joint Interagency Task Force 401 awarded a contract with a $250 million ceiling in September for counter-drone radar for U.S. and allied forces.

Once the deal closes, the Echodyne team stays in place and MESA radars remain on sale as standalone products. CEO Eben Frankenberg reports to Shield CEO Gary Steele and keeps responsibility for products, manufacturing, and partner and customer engagement. Echodyne’s new 86,350-square-foot plant, a $40 million investment, can build about 30,000 radars a year.

Why it matters

Echodyne’s range includes EchoFlight, an airborne radar for UAS detect-and-avoid, alongside the EchoGuard and EchoShield ground and vehicle radars. For buyers, the commitment to keep selling radars as standalone products matters most. Echodyne will continue to supply integrators while its new parent also builds its own autonomous systems.

Beyond radar, Shield makes Hivemind autonomy software, Aechelon simulation tools and the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. Shield named Washington state as the production home for X-BAT in September; Echodyne’s Kirkland plant sits in the same state. The deal also adds defense-qualified sensor capacity to a market where counter-drone demand is driving radar volumes.

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