June 17, 2025 – Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that French aerospace giant Safran must divest its North American actuation business in order to proceed with its proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Collins Aerospace’s actuation and flight control unit from RTX Corporation (formerly Raytheon Technologies).
The DOJ’s Antitrust Division filed a civil lawsuit to block the merger, citing concerns that the deal would reduce competition for critical aircraft components, specifically trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuators (THSAs) used in large aircraft. These components are essential for maintaining aircraft altitude and ensuring passenger safety. The lawsuit was accompanied by a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Department’s concerns.
Under the terms of the settlement, Safran will divest its North American actuation business—including THSAs, secondary flight control actuators, and a Canada-based electronic control unit—to Woodward Inc., a U.S. aerospace firm with experience supplying large aircraft manufacturers. The deal also includes associated tangible and intangible assets, and key Safran employees supporting the divested operations are expected to join Woodward.
“Today’s settlement is a structural solution to an acquisition that would have harmed competition for important aircraft components that are critical to passenger safety,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Antitrust Division. “The proposed divestiture to Woodward… ensures that American customers will continue to benefit from competition.”
The DOJ noted that the transaction would have re-combined assets previously separated during the 2018 antitrust settlement involving United Technologies Corporation’s acquisition of Rockwell Collins. The Department emphasized that it will apply “heightened scrutiny” to any future deals that attempt to recombine assets previously divested under prior enforcement actions.
Safran, headquartered in Paris, reported revenues of €27 billion in 2024 and is a major player in aviation, space, and defense technologies. RTX, based in Arlington, Virginia, reported $80 billion in 2024 revenues and is one of the largest aerospace and defense contractors globally.
The DOJ coordinated its investigation with the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, highlighting the cross-border nature of the aerospace industry.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement and a competitive impact statement will be published in the Federal Register. The public may submit comments for 60 days, after which the court will decide whether to approve the final judgment.
