French defense electronics group Thomson-CSF took a...

French defense electronics group Thomson-CSF took a major step into the U.S. air traffic control market, announcing the acquisition of Wilcox Electric Inc., a leading U.S. maker of landing systems. Thomson-CSF, which already has more than 30% of the world market outside the United States and East bloc countries in air traffic control systems, has a worldwide sales in the sector of more than $180 million. Wilcox, a subsidiary of U.S. aerospace group Northrop Corp., employs about 300 people in Kansas City, Mo., and has annual revenue of $35 million.