Willkie has developed broad-based experience in the aerospace, aviation, security and defense industries. We represent airlines, aircraft manufacturers, satellite companies, technology and defense consulting companies, and developers of national security information and communications systems both in the United States and abroad, as well as the companies that invest in this sector.
Experience
- Genesis Park Acquisition Corp. in its $150 million SPAC initial public offering. Genesis Park Acquisition Corp. is a new blank check company that it intends to focus on targets in the aerospace and aviation services industries.
- Karman Holdings Inc., a company specializing in mission-critical systems for missile and defense, and space programs, in its $506 million initial public offering.
- Mecachrome on a cross-border acquisition and recapitalization financing.
- Syndicate banks, led by Dresdner Kleinwort and Morgan Stanley, on the capital increase by way of rights issue for Lufthansa.
- Encompass Aviation in its sublease of all 12 of Surf Air’s PC-12NG aircraft and assumption of the company’s aircraft operations and management in California.
- Esterline, the Bellevue, Washington-based aerospace and defense contractor, in bank/bond acquisition and capitalization financing.
- Lazard Frères in equity investment and capital funding for an Italian Airline.
- Lynch in derivative swap for debt restructuring for Singapore Airline.
- Pattonair, a Platinum Equity portfolio company, in the financing associated with its agreement to be combined with Wesco Aircraft.
- Platinum Equity in its $1.9 billion acquisition of Wesco Aircraft.
- Sobel Airline in debt restructuring.
- Space Systems/Loral in securing a $100 million vendor financing facility to design and build a $260 million communications satellite to improve reception for Sirius Satellite subscribers.
- Breed Technologies Inc., a worldwide designer and producer of automotive products and accessories, in an investigation into potential accounting issues including crash sensors, airbags, safety systems and seat belts.
- Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) in its recovery of an award in an UNCITRAL arbitration in Paris against SS/L's Philippine joint venture partner, the Mabuhay Philippine Satellite Corporation (MPSC), that had failed to pay in full for its interest in the joint venture Mabuhay 1, a telecommunications satellite.
- Space Systems/Loral in its recovery of an award during an AAA arbitration against the Ukrainian maker of a faulty rocket.
- AddSecure in its acquisition of International Security Group, a leading German innovator in technology-driven video Surveillance-as-a-Service.
- Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille (CNP) on the contemplated acquisition of Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), an international technology company specializing in providing high value-added solutions based on satellite data.
- Compass Partners and an investor group led by Bain Capital and Pine Island Capital Partners in their acquisition of Precinmac Precision Manufacturing Machining, a manufacturer of high-precision machined components and assemblies in the aerospace and defense, semiconductor, and industrials sectors.
- Comply365, a portfolio company of Insight Partners, in its acquisition of Qualtero.
- Comply365, a portfolio company of Insight Partners, on its acquisition of ASQS, a global provider of safety and compliance management systems.
- Comply365, a portfolio company of Insight Partners, on its acquisition of Rolls-Royce's SMS business, a global provider of safety and compliance management systems.
- Dubin Clark in its acquisition of Merex Aircraft (now known as Kellstrom Defense Aerospace, Inc.), a provider of comprehensive support for U.S. manufactured legacy defense platforms, including aircraft, helicopters, and their respective engines.
- EG Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by EnTrust Global and GMF Capital, in its business combination with flyExclusive, a leading private jet company.
- Extant Components Group Holdings, a portfolio company of private equity firm Warburg Pincus, on the sale of Extant to TransDigm Group for $525 million.
- Frontline Road Safety, a subsidiary of The Sterling Group, in its acquisition of Apply-A-Line, a road and airport striping solutions company.
- Fusus, a leader in real-time crime center technology, in its acquisition by Axon, the global leader in connected public safety technologies.
- Global Emerging Markets Group (GEM), a European alternative investment sponsor in connection with its $200 million share subscription facility with Surf Global Air Ltd., a California-based private aviation business.
- Genesis Park Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in its $615 million business combination with Redwire, an innovative space infrastructure company.
- IMB Partners and its portfolio company Pro Foods Solutions, a leading food supplier to the U.S. military worldwide, in connection with a $130 million dividend recapitalization.
- Insight Partners on its investment in connection with the merger of Comply365 and Vistair Limited.
- Insight Partners on its strategic growth investment in Flightkeys Group, a leading provider of cloud-based flight planning software.
- Irenic Capital Management in the $5.2 billion take-private acquisition, alongside Apollo Global Management, of Arconic Corporation.
- ISS on the contemplated sale of its “ISS Hygiène et Prévention” division to the Ortec Group, a leading service provider specialized in services for industry, energy, environment and aeronautics.
- Karman Holdings Inc. in its $90 million acquisition of Metal Technology Inc., a leading supplier of refractory alloy systems for strategic missile programs.
- Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on the sale of portfolio company SK AeroSafety to Bridgepoint.
- Loral in its agreement with PSP Investments and Telesat Canada to combine Loral and Telesat into a new Canadian public company.
- PAI Partners in its acquisition alongside Baring Private Equity Asia of World Freight Company International, the global leader in the General Sales and Service Agent market, from Greenbriar Equity Group.
- PAI Partners in the acquisition of a majority stake in Alvest, the leading global provider of airport ground support equipment.
- Precinmac Precision Machining, a manufacturer of high-precision machined components and assemblies in the aerospace and defense, semiconductor, and industrials sectors, in its acquisitions of Viper Northwest, Inc. and Shields Manufacturing, Inc.
- Preeminent investment firm in a joint venture with SunCal for the construction of base facilities for the United States Army in Northern California.
- Ring International in its acquisition of automotive, industrial and aerospace manufacturer BOA Group.
- Searchlight Capital Partners on the recapitalization of Latécoère, a major player in the aeronautics industry.
- Trive Capital, a Dallas-based private equity firm, on its investment in Independent Forgings and Alloys (IFA).
- Air Canada on the U.S. aspect of its Canadian restructuring proceedings.
- Air France-KLM Group in its €2.256 billion rights issue.
- Air France KLM and Air France on its €4 billion French State measures to recapitalize Air France and its holding company.
- Air France KLM/Air France on securing funding of €7 billion to help overcome the COVID-19 crisis.
- Apollo Funds and Monarch Alternative Capital in the $107 million sale of shares in French-listed Latécoère, the world’s leading independent manufacturer of aircraft doors, to Searchlight Capital Partners.
- Bpifrance Participations on strengthening Mecachrome’s capital base and in setting-up of a €60 million French state-guaranteed loan scheme.
- Bybrook Capital and Morgan Stanley in debt restructuring transactions for DEMA SpA, an Italian aeronautics parts manufacturer, which included Bybrook Capital’s acquisition of a substantial majority of DEMA’s share capital, and in conjunction with Morgan Stanley, funding a new secured €60 million bond.
- Delta Airlines in chapter 11 proceedings.
- Implant Sciences in the $117.5 million sale of its explosives trace detection assets to L-3 Communications, a Section 363 bankruptcy sale, and in connection with its chapter 11 cases.
- Integrated Alarm Services Group, a wholesale and retail supplier of residential and commercial alarm and monitoring systems in its chapter 11 chase .
- LatAm Airlines in chapter 11 restructuring.
- Northwest Airlines chapter 11 cases in the Southern District of New York Bankruptcy Court.
- Sahlen, a private investigation company, on the chapter 11 chase.
- Sogerma in spinout and sale of its French distressed branches to TAT Group.
- Space Systems/Loral, as one of the largest creditors, in the DBSD North America, Inc. and ProtoStar Ltd. chapter 11 cases.
- The Alert Centre and ten related entities in the chapter 11 case.
- Air France KLM in a wide range of antitrust matters in Europe.
- Azzurra Consortium (consisting of the Atlantia Group, EDF Invest and Aeoporti di Roma) on the bid for the privatization of Nice’s airport; the consortium will acquire the French state’s 60% interest in the company that controls three airports on the French Riviera.
- Dyncorp International, global government services provider of support solutions for defense, diplomacy, and international development in corporate matters.
- Hayman Advisors in a proxy contest and negotiated settlement resulting in two of its nominees being added to the ExpressJet board.
- Olympic Air on various ERISA/tax matters.