Partners Grintek and Saab have acquired Pretoria-based engineering systems solutions company Metatek, which the partnership says will strengthen its command and control capabilities in SA.
Metatek is to be incorporated into Grintek and Saab`s joint venture, Grintek Integrated Defence Solutions (GrIDS), to be headed by current Metatek CEO Riaz Saloojee.
GrIDS develops, builds, supports and services network-based command and control systems. It is to market its own products and also develop technologies jointly with Saab.
"In the defence arena, the rapid convergence of IT and communications electronics has given rise to a shift from a platform-centric approach based on a single aircraft or ship to a netcentric system which integrates the capabilities of navies, ground and air forces jointly directed from a central position in command of real-time information from all of the forces," the company says.
It says netcentric systems are increasingly central to the national security, disaster relief, search and rescue and economic protection joint ventures of modern defence forces, and growing attention is being given to extending these capabilities to civilian emergency services.
The deal follows the acquisition of Isis from Altech and boosts staff numbers at GrIDS to 50.
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