L-3 wins Polish Air Force training contract

L-3 Communications Corp. won a $41 million contract to provide an F-16 Aircrew Training System to the Polish Air Force, the company said today.

The contract was awarded to L-3's Link Simulation and Training division in Arlington, Texas, by the U.S. Air Force's Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

L-3 will provide mission trainers for pilot warfighting skills and squadron-level trainers for procedural training so pilots may hone their aircraft systems skills and practice basic maneuvers.

The company initially will provide one full mission trainer, two squadron-level trainers, two egress procedures trainers, instructor operator stations, computational systems and a visual system database.

In 2006, L-3 will supply a full mission trainer, a squadron-level trainer and an egress procedures trainer as Poland starts to receive its first F-16C/D Block 50 aircraft, which the country agreed to purchase from Lockheed Martin Corp. of Bethesda, Md., in December 2002.

In 2007, the Polish Air Force will receive a second squadron-level trainer and an egress procedures trainer from L-3.

"The Polish Air Force's F-16 aircrew training system will be integrated with advanced Link training technologies," said David Love, vice president of business development for L-3's Link Simulation and Training division. "The highly realistic training scenarios supported by this modern simulation system will enable pilots to maintain and enhance their skills in operation of this multi-role fighter aircraft."

In a separate announcement, L-3's Avionics Systems division received a follow-on contract to provide electronic standby instrument systems for the Army's Apache Longbow helicopters. The contract could result in up to $5 million in instrument system upgrades for the helicopters, the company said.

Under the contract, the AH-64D Apache fleet will receive instrument flight rule upgrades.

L-3's avionics systems division is in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Aviation Applied Technology Directorate in Fort Eustis, Texas, will perform the upgrade work.

Headquartered in New York, L-3 provides a range of technology-based services, support and products to federal, state and local governments and to the commercial sector. It ranks No. 14 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list of federal prime contractors. The company employs 38,000 workers and had 2003 revenue of $5.1 billion.