L-3 Awarded Full-Rate Production Contract for U.S. Navy's CDL Hawklink Program

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

L-3 Communications LLL announced today that its Communication Systems-West (CS-West) division was selected for the 2012 to 2017 full-rate production contract of CDL Hawklink valued at $181 million, with $28 million to be awarded this year. L-3 is the current prime contractor for the program, and this award follows a prior initial production contract award in June 2009 of $141 million.

L-3's Ku-Band CDL Hawklink system is a high-speed digital data link that transmits tactical video, radar and acoustic sensor data from the U.S. Navy's MH-60 Romeo Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System helicopter to its host surface ships. Comprising the AN/ARQ-59 airborne terminal and the AN/SRQ-4 shipboard terminal, the system will double the Hawklink's current data rates for the MH-60R at ranges over 100 nautical miles and will support a full range of surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and recovery missions. Additionally, the system is suitable for a variety of platforms, providing extended range, high data rates and proven operational reliability.

“The U.S. Navy's helicopters just became even more capable with the delivery of the L-3 CDL Hawklink airborne and shipboard data link terminals,” said Susan Opp, president of L-3's Communication Systems Group. “We are proud of our team; they worked very hard to deliver what we believe to be the most capable wideband data link ever employed on a helicopter.”

With the delivery of the 100^th MH-60R to the Fleet in 2011, the introduction of L-3's Ku-Band CDL Hawklink system will allow the Romeo to share all the increased sensor capability quickly, seamlessly and fully encrypted with warfare commands.

L-3 Communication Systems-West is a leader in communications systems for high-performance intelligence collection, imagery processing and satellite communications for the DoD and other government agencies. The company provides high-data-rate, wideband, secure, real-time communications systems for surveillance, reconnaissance and other airborne intelligence collection systems. To learn more about L-3 CS-West, please visit the company's website at www.L-3com.com/csw.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately 51,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in C³ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems, aircraft modernization and maintenance, and national security solutions. L-3 is also a leading provider of a broad range of electronic systems used on military and commercial platforms.

To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's website at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its website as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company's website and is readily accessible.

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