LORAL AWARDED $11.8 MILLION TO MANUFACTURE UNCOOLED INFRARED SENSORS FOR MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL USE.

LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 1995--A consortium led by Loral Infrared & Imaging Systems (LIRIS), a division of Loral Corporation (NYSE:LOR), has been awarded $11.8 million as part of the U.S. government's technology reinvestment program, to design and build cost-effective uncooled infrared sensors for a variety of military and commercial uses.

Loral, as leader of the Consortium for Infrared Uncooled Sensors, will reduce the manufacturing costs of uncooled infrared sensors by standardizing the design and manufacture of specialized infrared focal plane arrays, and the basic optical and electronic components that go into them. This new manufacturing process hopes to ensure widespread use of infrared technology in weapons systems, vehicles and commercial applications. Military uses include rifle sights, driver's viewer aids, perimeter surveillance and missile seekers and commercial applications include security, process monitoring and quality control.

Under this 24-month program awarded by the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), Loral and the members of the consortium will conduct product demonstrations for both the military and commercial markets to show the capability of the technology to support various requirements and to aid ARPA in broad use of uncooled infrared products.

Members of the consortium will each participate in the manufacture and delivery of the uncooled infrared sensors. LIRIS will develop imaging sensors using its uncooled microbridge detector, while it reduces costs in focal plane array and electronics. SSG, Inc., Waltham, Mass., and Optimax Systems, Inc., Webster, N.Y., will focus on design and cost reduction of optical components and sub-assemblies. Three other companies--Honeywell Military Avionics Division of St. Louis Park, Minn.; Econolite Control Products, Inc. of Annaheim, Calif.; and AGEMA Infrared Systems, Inc. of Secaucus, N.J.--will test infrared cameras built by Loral, will support final product requirements for military and commercial applications and will conduct end-user demonstrations. Applications will include surveillance, process monitoring, predictive maintenance, and traffic monitoring. Space Instruments, Inc., Encinitas, Calif., will incorporate infrared imaging modules within space and airborne sensors for multispectral imaging and radiometry. The U.S. Army Night Vision & Electronic Sensors Directorate will support product testing and evaluation.

Loral Infrared & Imaging Systems is a technology leader in the development and manufacture of advanced electro-optical components and sensors for both imaging and non-imaging applications. Customers include the U.S. Defense Department, NASA, NOAA and weapon systems prime contractors in the U.S. and abroad.

Loral Corporation, headquartered in New York City, is a high-technology company that primarily concentrates in defense electronics, communications, space and systems integration.

CONTACT: Loral Corp.

Joseph Tedino

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