L-3 Communications awarded $18 million executive aircraft mission systems contract by U.S. government.

L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced recently that its Integrated Systems division (L-3 IS) has been awarded an $18 million follow-on firm-fixed-price and time-and-material contract to support an effort to upgrade the mission communication systems on executive aircraft flown by the U.S. Air Force for the U.S. government. The contract includes a 10-month basic contract with four, one-year options.

These unique communication systems allow for ground and airborne and secure/non-secure voice and data communications and are installed on designated executive versions of the C-9, C-20, and VC-25A aircraft supporting the President, Vice President, and other senior government leaders. The aircraft are stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. and in Europe.

"This award underscores our reputation for strong performance in mission systems upgrades," said Bob Drewes, president of L-3 IS. "We've had a long and successful relationship with the U.S. Air Force and this provides a great opportunity for us to once again demonstrate our capabilities."

The contract covers preliminary engineering investigations of the on-board mission systems, program management, engineering support for configuration management, and software, firmware and hardware changes including development and test and engineering feasibility studies. L-3 also will provide system integration lab support, modifications, upgrades and enhancements, including design, testing, integration, and kit purchases, and a dedicated team of field technical representatives co-located with the aircraft at Andrews Air Force Base.

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems is an SEI CMM Level 5 developer and integrator of complex electronic systems for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Headquartered in Greenville, Texas, L-3/IS also operates from major sites in Madison, MI; Waco, TX; Lexington, KY; Tulsa, OK and Avalon, Australia.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications is a leading provider of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems and products, secure communications systems, aircraft modernization, training and government services, and is a merchant supplier of a broad array of high technology products. Its customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, selected U.S. government intelligence agencies and aerospace prime contractors.