Britain approves Advent's $5 billion Cobham purchase

(Reuters) – The British government has approved Advent International’s $5 billion purchase of defense company Cobham Plc (L:) after the U.S. private equity group offered a number of commitments to address national security concerns.

“Having considered the consultation responses and further advice from the Defence Secretary, I am satisfied that the undertakings mitigate the national security risks identified to an acceptable level and have therefore accepted them and cleared the merger to proceed”, Business Minister Andrea Leadsom said in a statement on Friday.

She had said on Tuesday that Britain was now minded to accept the deal after Advent put forward several legal undertakings, including to place a number of British executives on Cobham’s boards.

Leadsom had earlier put the deal on hold while she established whether the sale of the air-to-air refuelling equipment maker posed a national security threat.

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