Leonardo Aims for More Acquisitions as European Defense Spending Increases
Leonardo CEO Lorenzo Mariani has stated that the company is pursuing acquisitions and strategic partnerships to support long-term growth amid rising defense spending in Europe. The Italian aerospace, defense, and security firm recently expanded its capabilities through deals in land systems, cybersecurity, and AI-enabled mission software. The group raised its 2026 guidance for orders, profit, and cash flow following a strong first half of the year, including notable acquisitions such as Iveco Defence Vehicles (€1.6 billion) and U.S.-based Raft ($450 million). Leonardo also acquired British cybersecurity firm Becrypt earlier this year. Leonardo is benefiting from increased European defense spending driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and NATO’s higher targets, which have led to a record order backlog for the company.
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