UK monitoring sale of military supplier Ultra to firm backed by US equity

Kwasi Kwarteng has instructed Whitehall officials to keep close tabs on the takeover bid by Cobham

The UK government has signalled that it is monitoring the sale of a key military supplier to a firm backed by US private equity amid concerns over the potential impact on national security.

The business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, is understood to have instructed Whitehall officials to keep close tabs on the multibillion-pound takeover bid of Ultra Electronics lodged by Cobham, which is owned by the American private equity group Advent.