EDO wins fast-track contract for Warlock jammers

EDO Corp. has won a contract from the Army Communications-Electronics Command to provide electronic force-protection equipment. The contract is worth up to $35 million, with final details to be negotiated in early 2004.

Warlock devices, as EDO named them, are modified versions of the company's Shortstop electronic protection system. Warlocks have been effective in countering the threat of improvised explosive devices, such as those being used by terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Funding for Warlock has been included in the supplemental budgets enacted by Congress to fund operations in Iraq. The Army and EDO have been working on the fast-track procurement since November to increase and accelerate production of Warlock units. Under the contract, EDO is to deliver more than 1,000 additional units in two versions ? Warlock Red, a low-cost jammer to counter specific threat that have been emerging in increasing numbers, and Warlock Green, a more capable jammer used to address more sophisticated threat systems. The company expects to deliver most of the units in 2004.

"Our original work on this technology began in 1990 in response to anticipated threats to U.S. troops in Operation Desert Storm," said James Smith, EDO's chief executive officer. "We have been delivering Shortstop units since 1998 in various configurations and continue to receive funding for improvements to the technology. The recognized ability to save lives is driving the urgency to field our new Warlock configurations and to advance this technology even further."

Based in New York City, EDO employs 2,800 people and had revenue in 2002 of $329 million. The company was No. 76 on the Washington Technology 2003 Top 100 federal prime contractors.