Morpho Detection LLC, a U.S. subsidiary of France's Safran, is to be sold to Smiths Group Plc.

The selling price for Morpho is an enterprise value of $710 million, Safran said, and the sale is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

The sale is expected to close early in 2017.

Philippe Petitcolin, chief executive officer of Safran, said the sale "... is in line with our announced strategy to focus our development on the aerospace and defense markets.''

Morpho Detection is headquartered in Newark, Calif. It provides solutions at airports for detecting and identifying chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats, as well as other illicit items.

Morpho Detection after the sale will become part of Smiths Group's Detection business segment, which designs and manufactures sensors for the detection and identification of explosives, weapons, chemical agents and other contraband.

"The threat environment for people and critical infrastructure around the world is constantly evolving and becoming more complex and sophisticated," said Andrew Reynolds Smith, chief executive of Smiths Group, a British company. "The response, to keep people safe and the world running, demands cutting-edge technology and cost-efficient solutions.

"Morpho Detection is a high-quality business with a strong management team, and I am convinced that this combination provides a compelling competitive platform for product, service and technology leadership."