[Image: G&H Tampa]
Gooch & Housego (G&H) is deepening its North American footprint in the defense and aerospace optics market with the acquisition of Global Photonics (Trinity, FL). The deal, which was announced in May 2025, incorporates under G&H’s Optical Systems division a firm with cleanroom lithography, photolithographic reticle fabrication, ion‐beam etching and advanced thin‐film coating capabilities that are complementary to G&H’s existing portfolio ranging acousto-optics, electro-optics and precision crystal optics.
Global Photonics’ product suite, which includes periscopes, fire‐control systems and instrumentation for air vehicles, will now be engineered and manufactured in the recently established “G&H Tampa” Center of Excellence. By localizing these capabilities in the United States, G&H aims to mitigate the supply‐chain risks associated with offshore production and accelerate delivery for US defense prime contractors.
The transaction by G&H is intended to integrate target capabilities rapidly and leverage G&H’s laser protection filtering and complex optical system design expertise to drive new business. Charlie Peppiatt, G&H CEO, noted, “Global Photonics’ deep application expertise and established relationships with U.S. integrators accelerate our ‘speed to value’ strategy. This acquisition cements our position as the partner of choice for high-precision defense optics on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The transaction by G&H is intended to integrate target capabilities rapidly and leverage G&H’s laser protection filtering and complex optical system design expertise.
This move follows closely on the heels of G&H’s Life Sciences Innovation Hub opening in Rochester, NY, on 1 May—a facility designed to bridge R&D and full‐scale production under ISO 13485 certification. Together, these investments underscore G&H’s market strategy, which relies on two main pillars: uncompromising precision and reliability, coupled with vertical integration across both life sciences and defense optics.
The acquisition signals an enhanced onshore capability in advanced thin‐film and optical‐assembly manufacturing. With G&H Tampa now offering end-to-end optical‐systems engineering, the company is positioned to support next-generation electro-optical sensors, targeting pods and other mission-critical photonic subsystems without the delays of cross-border logistics.
Looking ahead, G&H has indicated that additional acquisitions are on the horizon, targeting firms in optical metrology and integrated photonics. As the firm layers these capabilities into its global operations, a broader array of turnkey solutions for high-performance applications in aerospace, defense and beyond is expected.