L-3 buys two threat detection firms

L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. has acquired two companies that specialize in
threat detection technology in keeping with its strategy of consolidating high-tech products companies. The terms of the deals were not disclosed.

L-3 of New York has acquired CyTerra Corp. of Orlando, Fla., a provider of advanced sensor technology for military and homeland security applications whose federal clients include the Transportations Security Administration, Homeland Security Department, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Army and Navy

L-3 also acquired SafeView Inc. if Santa Clara, Calif., which develops and produces non-invasive security systems and portals for military and public safety use and airport security.

CyTerra's and SafeView's product lines combined with L-3's existing catalog of security checkpoint systems and scanners, will enable L-3 to offers its customers a wide range of noncommodity, high technology security products, Frank Lanza, L-3's chairman and chief executive officer, said in a printed release.

L-3 provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, secure communications systems and aircraft modernization services primarily for the federal government.

The company, which has about 59,500 employees and had annual revenue of more than $9.4 billion in fiscal 2005, ranks No. 15 on Washington Technology's 2005 Top 100 list of federal prime contractors.