Karman Missile & Space Systems Acquires AAE Aerospace

Trive Capital Forms Karman by Partnering with Aerospace Engineering Corp. and AMRO Fabricating

January 26, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Dallas-based private equity firm Trive Capital has partnered with the senior leadership teams of Aerospace Engineering Corp. (AEC) and AMRO Fabricating Corporation (AMRO) to form Karman Missile & Space Systems, a new platform supplier for space, missile and hypersonic markets. The combined company operates multiple facilities in greater Los Angeles with additional presence in Washington, D.C. and Huntsville, Alabama; the leadership teams of both legacy businesses remain equity holders and executives in Karman.

Karman Missile & Space Systems Acquires TMX Engineering

September 21, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Karman Missile & Space Systems, a Trive Capital-backed platform, has acquired TMX Engineering, a Los Angeles-based precision machining firm. The deal expands Karman's capacity and capabilities in complex precision machining for space, missile, and hypersonic systems; TMX's senior leadership will remain as equity holders.

Trive-Backed Karman Missile & Space Systems Acquires Systima Technologies

September 24, 2021

Aerospace & Defense

Karman Missile & Space Systems, a platform backed by Trive Capital, has acquired Systima Technologies to expand its capabilities across the space, missile and hypersonic supply chains. The Systima leadership team will remain as equity holders and senior leaders of Karman; the deal is an add-on to the Karman platform to broaden engineering, composite-structure and energetic systems capabilities.

Karman Space & Defense (Trive-backed) Acquires MG Resin Family of Technologies

June 15, 2022

Aerospace & Defense

Karman Space & Defense, backed by private equity firm Trive Capital, acquired the MG Resin family of ultra-high temperature resin technologies from Cornerstone Research Group (CRG). The deal expands Karman's vertically integrated composite and carbon/carbon manufacturing capabilities for aerospace, defense and hypersonic applications and aims to accelerate commercialization of high-temp materials for OEMs in those supply chains.

Madison Dearborn Partners and CoVant Management Acquire AEVEX Aerospace

March 9, 2020

Aerospace & Defense

Madison Dearborn Partners and CoVant Management have agreed to acquire majority ownership of AEVEX Aerospace from Trive Capital. AEVEX is a provider of full‑spectrum airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (AISR) technology solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, Special Operations, and the Intelligence Community; the company employs approximately 600 people and maintains offices across multiple U.S. states. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Q1 2020, and AEVEX's founder‑management team will retain a significant ownership stake.

Karman Space & Defense Acquires Five Axis Industries

October 28, 2025

Aerospace & Defense

Karman Space & Defense (NYSE: KRMN) acquired Five Axis Industries, an Arlington, Washington-based supplier of advanced nozzle and fuel system subsystems, for $83 million in cash plus approximately $5 million in Karman shares (about $88 million total). The acquisition, which closed October 28, 2025, expands Karman's propulsion and launch-system capabilities by adding proprietary nozzle, spun-form and 3D-printed Inconel technologies and was funded in part by an increase to Karman's Term Loan B.