Litton Awarded Contract for Innovative Night Vision Camera System.

Business Editors/Aerospace & Defense Writers

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 24, 2000

Litton Industries (NYSE:LIT) today announced that its Electro-Optical Systems Division (LEOSD), with headquarters in Garland, Texas, received a prime contract from the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) to develop and integrate Sarnoff's high-sensitivity CMOS "camera-on-a-chip" technology into a system based on Litton's latest advanced image intensifiers; providing for a new, low-cost, compact and low-power requirement low-light, night vision camera system.

This project will integrate Litton's state-of-the-art Auto-Gated Unfilmed GEN IV image intensifier technology features and also include LEOSD's exclusive Halo Free advanced development performance. The unfilmed manufacturing process results in a 20% increase in SNR over OMNI IV capabilities on the darkest nights. Its Auto-Gated Power Supply provides a 200% increase in resolution over OMNI IV during high light level MOUT operations. The Halo Free design virtually eliminates the characteristic halo effect found in bright light source urban environments.

Litton EOSD will integrate this advanced image intensifier technology with their industry leading subcontractor -- Sarnoff's Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) -- into a camera system which will be much smaller and more compact than present Image Intensified CCD camera systems, while exhibiting no loss in performance and manufactured at significantly reduced cost. This capability will represent a significant advancement in military camera systems.

The program is envisioned as a Horizontal Technology Initiative (HTI) capable of supporting current analog and future digital battlefield programs, and future broad-based common module technology insertion. Its low power requirements, light weight and compact design will be well suited for a variety of aerial and ground based platforms and individual personnel applications such as goggles and observation devices. It will be well-suited for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for lengthy missions. It can support the current Driver's Viewer Enhanced program (DVE) and future driving devices. It can also be utilized in future multi-spectral, image-fused systems.

LEOSD has designed and manufactured the broadest range of image intensifier night vision systems available in the world for military, security and law enforcement applications for more than 25 years.

Litton is one of the nation's leading shipbuilders for the U.S. Navy and the largest builder of non-nuclear ships. Litton designs, builds, and overhauls surface ships for government and commercial customers, worldwide. The company is a leading information technology (IT) contractor to the U.S. government and provides specialized IT services to commercial customers and government customers in local/foreign jurisdictions.

Litton provides defense and commercial electronics technology, components and materials for customers, worldwide. With headquarters in Woodland Hills, Calif., the company has more than 40,000 employees, and is expected to have more than $5.5 billion revenue. For more information, visit Litton's Web site at www.litton.com.