L-3 purchases Mobile-Vision

L-3 Communications Inc. has acquired Mobile-Vision Inc., a provider of in-vehicle recording systems for law enforcement agencies, the company announced this week. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition of Mobile-Vision of Boonton, N.J., will complement L-3's growing public safety and homeland security segments. It is part of a strategy to develop solutions for first-responder agencies at all levels of government, said Frank Lanza, L-3's chairman and chief executive officer.

"Mobile-Vision, with its broad user base, will create new opportunities for L-3 as we expand in this area, he said.

The company will be renamed L-3 Communications Mobile-Vision Inc. and will be part of L-3's Products Groups, which Charles Schafer, products group president and chief operating officer, oversees.

The company's Flashback digital recording system includes a console-mounted, digital video recorder with solid-state flash memory, a video camera, wireless microphone and a small LCD monitor.

The system allows simultaneous recording of up to two video sources and three audio sources, as well as supporting data such as time, date and global positioning system location. Mobile-Vision also offers software and services for reviewing and archiving video records.

L-3 has more than 38,000 employees and annual sales of $6.8 billion. The company ranked No. 14 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list, which measures federal contracting revenue.