Aerospace & Defense Acquisitions in Rhode Island

Vatn Systems, a Portsmouth, Rhode Island defense-technology company, has acquired Rhode Island-based Crewless Marine to bring advanced underwater acoustic sensing and real-time signal-processing capabilities in‑house. Crewless Marine co‑founders Dr. Steve Bordonaro and Dr. Philip Caspers will join Vatn in senior engineering roles; financial terms were not disclosed. The deal strengthens Vatn’s vertical integration, reduces supply‑chain dependencies, and accelerates development of AUV acoustic capabilities for defense and environmental markets.

Ducommun Incorporated (NYSE: DCO) completed the acquisition of Magnetic Seal Corporation (MagSeal), a Warren, Rhode Island–based maker of proprietary magnetic seals for aerospace and defense applications. The purchase expands Ducommun's engineered products portfolio and recurring aftermarket offerings for critical A&D systems; the deal was financed with cash on hand and a portion of Ducommun's revolving credit facility.