EDO lands Air Force testing contract

EDO Corp. has won a $44 million contract from the Air Force to provide radar-signal simulators that test the electronic defenses of military aircraft.

Through the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, the Air Force will be able to purchase 491 AN/PLM-4 systems over the next five years, the company said.

The AN/PLM-4 radar-signal simulator generates radio-frequency signals such as those used by anti-aircraft weapons. That allows personnel to test an aircraft's defensive electronics on the flight line before takeoff.

The long-term contract structure will allow for efficient planning and production and also minimize the cost to the government, said James Smith, EDO's chief executive, in a news release.

In addition to the flight-line version, the radar-signal stimulator can be configured for laboratory, shipyard and vehicle testing.

EDO designs and manufactures a wide range of products for aerospace, defense, intelligence and commercial markets.

The company ranks No. 56 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.