Sotera Defense Solutions, a systems integrator and solution provider for the national security industry, has announced the acquisition of fellow defense-focused tech company Potomac Fusion in a play to boost its cloud portfolio.

To be more precise, Potomac Fusion develops “data fusion, data analytics, cyber and visualization solutions for U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DOD) Tactical ISR mission systems operating in a cloud computing environment,” according to the press release. In other words, Potomac, founded in 2002, specializes in Big Data analytics and fusion for DOD customers, and expects to generate around $40 million in revenue in 2012.

Sotera President & CEO John Hillen laid out the value proposition of the new combo in that same press release:

Financial specifics were purposely left out of the announcement, but we do know this will see the company get re-dubbed “Potomac Fusion, a Sotera Defense Solutions Company” and will be led by Russell Richardson.

Just as in 2011, the new year is kicking off with plenty of cloud M&A chatter. And in this case, it parlays into the overall theme of government agencies and the public sector at large increasingly migrating to the cloud. We’ll be watching all those topics, so make sure you watch TalkinCloud.