Airport screening specialist Reveal Imaging acquired by SAIC

Reveal Imaging Technologies, based in Bedford, Massachusetts, said it is being acquired by SAIC, a Virginia-based government contractor giant also known as Science Applications International Corporation (NYSE: SAI). Financial terms of the deal were not released, but the acquisition is expected to close by the end of this month.

Gregory T. Huang writes that Reveal was founded in 2002 in response to the U.S. government’s mandate for aviation security screening after the attacks of 9/11. The company has developed imaging technologies for screening airport baggage and detecting explosives in checked luggage. The technologies are certified by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and are used in domestic airports as well as abroad. Reveal is backed by venture investors including Brown Brothers Harriman, Flybridge Capital Partners, General Catalyst Partners, and Greylock Partners.

The Bedford firm will join SAIC’s Security and Transportation Technology Business Unit, which is part of the company’s Infrastructure, Energy, Health and Product Solutions Group led by Joe Craver (Craver’s group also includes R. W. Beck, the Seattle-based consulting firm focused on energy and water management, which SAIC acquired a year ago). Huang writes that the acquisition of Reveal looks like it will strengthen SAIC in terms of homeland security technologies. SAIC has about 45,000 employees and had revenues of $10.8 billion in its most recent fiscal year.

“SAIC’s world class technical expertise and R&D focus greatly expand our ability to provide leading edge detection solutions for our aviation and facility security customers,” said Michael Ellenbogen, president and CEO of Reveal, in a company statement.