Airbus SE has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ultra Cyber Ltd, a UK-based cyber defense firm, from Cobham Ultra, strengthening its sovereign cybersecurity offerings for defense applications.
Ultra Cyber Limited, incorporated on September 15, 2022, as a private limited company, maintains its registered office at Building 1, Foundation Park, Roxborough Way, Maidenhead, SL6 3UD. The micro-sized entity, with a balance sheet under £632,000 and fewer than 10 employees, specializes in advanced encryption, key management, and cyber solutions certified by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre for protecting official communications.
Part of Ultra Intelligence & Communications, Ultra Cyber traces its roots to Ultra Electronics, founded in 1920 for headphones and loudspeakers, evolving into tactical radios and cybersecurity expertise during wartime and beyond. Recent directorial changes include the appointment of Juliette Sarah Wilcox on September 23, 2024, and termination of Richard Anthony Dingley on September 16, 2024. In September 2025, Ultra Cyber signed an MOU with DTC at DSEI London to develop encrypted HF radio for Five Eyes, NATO, and allies, combining cryptographic solutions with non-ITAR radios for contested environments.
The transaction, announced recently, awaits customary regulatory approvals, with closing anticipated in the second half of 2026. Airbus positions itself as a UK sovereign provider of critical cyber capabilities through this move, enhancing secure communications for aviation and defense sectors amid rising threats.