AEROSPACE group Cobham have announced the largest acquisition in its history - a £134.4m cash purchase of US-based Remec Defense & Space Inc.

Buying Remec doubles Cobham's Chelton microwave military systems business in the US.

Remec specialises in integrated microwave assemblies and sub-systems for electronic warfare, radar and communications.

It is involved in a series of top US defence programmes and platforms including the F-16, F/A-18, F/A-22, F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) plus AMRAAM anti-aircraft and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Flight refuelling specialist Cobham has its HQ at Wimborne, Dorset, and employs 520 people at its Titchfield site, near Fareham.

Cobham chief executive Allan Cook said: "Microwave is a fast-growing sector in network-centric warfare as it is at the heart of the infrastructure, data link, communications and surveillance systems used on all air, ground, ship and space platforms."

The Remec acquisition is conditional on US regulatory approvals and the approval of Remec shareholders.

Remec Defense has its HQ and manufacturing plant in San Diego, California and a sister in Tijuana, Mexico.