ECA, an aerospace and defense company, and Groupe Gorge, an independent group that specializes in high-tech industries, to acquire iXblue, a global provider of innovative solutions for navigation, photonics, and maritime autonomy for both civil and defense applications, for $449m. Together, ECA Group and iXblue will offer even more competitive, innovative and integrated autonomous systems for the maritime sector, thus meeting the expectations of customers in various fields: Underwater mine clearance, Deep sea exploration, Hydrography, Port protection, Offshore and Marine Renewable Energies.