Engineering Research and Consulting, LLC (Astrion)

Overview

Deal Type Debt Capital Markets
Size $675 Million
Senior Secured Credit Facilities
Client & Transactional Partners Engineering Research and Consulting, LLC
Brightstar Capital Partners
Axient LLC
Our Role Joint Lead Arranger
Joint Bookrunner

Summary

On August 29, 2024, KeyBanc Capital Markets (KBCM) successfully closed the syndication of $675 million in Senior Secured Credit Facilities (the Credit Facilities) for Engineering Research and Consulting, LLC (d/b/a Astrion), a portfolio company of Brightstar Capital Partners (Brightstar). The Credit Facilities are composed of an $80 million Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility and a $595 million Senior Secured Term Loan. Proceeds from the Credit Facilities were used to support the acquisition of Axient LLC (Axient), refinance existing indebtedness, and pay transaction-related fees and expenses. KBCM served as Joint Lead Arranger and Joint Bookrunner on the financing.

Astrion is a scaled provider of mission support and advanced engineering services to the Department of Defense (DoD), (including the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in areas related to developing and sustaining cybersecurity platforms, digital solutions, mission support, science and engineering, and test and evaluation.

Axient provides cybersecurity, systems engineering, program management, test and evaluation, and other technical engineering services to the Army, Air Force, Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Navy, U.S. Space Force and Space Command, Intelligence and Other DoD, NASA, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), FAA, and commercial space and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Brightstar is a middle market private equity firm that manages $4.3 billion of capital across three active funds and has deployed $1.9 billion of capital across 13 portfolio companies throughout North America since its inception. Brightstar focuses primarily on investments in the Industrial, Business Services, Consumer Services, and Government & Technology Services spaces.

KeyBanc Capital Markets is a trade name under which the corporate and investment banking products and services of KeyCorp and its subsidiaries, KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., member FINRA/SIPC (“KBCMI”), and KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank N.A.”), are marketed. Securities products and services are offered by KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc. and by its licensed securities representatives. Banking products and services are offered by KeyBank N.A.

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