Raptor Scientific

Raptor Scientific operates as a specialized manufacturer of engineering, testing, and measurement products catering to the aerospace, defense, space, and marine markets. The company was established in 2019 by L Squared Capital Partners with the strategic goal of consolidating the fragmented aerospace and defense testing and measurement sector. This initiative began with the acquisition of Space Electronics in September 2019, a developer of mass properties instruments and igniter circuit testers.

The business generates revenue through the sale of proprietary, highly-engineered products. Raptor Scientific's growth strategy has been heavily centered on acquisitions. Following its initial purchase, the company expanded its portfolio by acquiring Sensor Concepts, a manufacturer of radar cross-section (RCS) measurement systems, in 2020. In 2021, TestVonics, a provider of air data test and calibration equipment, was added to the group. The acquisition spree continued with King Nutronics Corporation in March 2023 and Medtherm Corporation, a specialist in thermal systems, in 2024. This series of acquisitions has built a comprehensive product portfolio that includes mass properties instruments, air data test technology, radar cross-section measurement instruments, and various calibration and measurement tools for pressure, temperature, torque, and force. The company serves a client base that includes laboratories funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) and NASA, as well as various launch system and spacecraft contractors.

A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in July 2024, when it was acquired by TransDigm Group for approximately $655 million. At the time of the acquisition, Raptor Scientific was projected to generate approximately $90 million in revenue for the 2024 calendar year and employed around 170 people across its manufacturing sites in Connecticut, California, New Hampshire, and Alabama. The company is led by CEO Derek Coppinger, who has overseen its expansion. The products are mission-critical, used for testing and verifying components on a wide range of new and existing aircraft platforms. Offerings range from igniter circuit testers, approved by the U.S. DoD, to pitot static test sets, heat flux sensors, and complete avionics test systems.

Keywords: aerospace testing, defense measurement, mass properties instruments, radar cross section, air data test systems, test and measurement, igniter circuit testers, aerospace engineering, defense manufacturing, space electronics, sensor technology, avionics calibration, pitot static testers, force measurement, torque calibrators, thermal systems, defense contractors, NASA supplier, aircraft instrumentation, military systems testing