L-3 Communications SPAR Aerospace Signs $41.3 Million C-130 Maintenance and Upgrade Program for the Royal Norwegian Air Force
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NEW YORK--June 27, 2006--L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) announced today that its SPAR Aerospace Limited (L-3 SPAR) subsidiary has signed a $41.3 million contract for the maintenance and upgrade of five C-130 Hercules transport aircraft for the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF).
Under the scope of the contract, L-3 SPAR will replace the existing set of outer wings with wings refurbished by the company, conduct an S-4 inspection, and perform any additional maintenance work required. The first two aircraft are scheduled to arrive at L-3 SPAR's Edmonton, Canada facilities in late June, 2006 with the final aircraft being inducted in January, 2007.
"We are pleased with the Norwegian Government's decision to award L-3 SPAR this important C-130 re-wing and maintenance program," said Patrice M. Pelletier, president of L-3 SPAR. "L-3 SPAR has developed pioneering wing solutions for the C-130, based on more than four decades of experience working on that platform, and this contract award is a recognition of our innovation and expertise in this area."
This program will allow L-3 SPAR to develop its newly launched collaboration with LHK (Air Depot Kjeller) and SAS Technical Services AB (STS), two Norwegian organizations.
"We selected L-3 SPAR for this program because of their extensive expertise in C-130 structural life extension, their competitive pricing and their performance capability," said Major Asbjorn Bjellanes, Norwegian Defence Logistics Organization (NDLO) C-130 program manager. "We look forward to working with them as partners on this program."
The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) is acting as the contracting authority for this program on behalf of the NDLO. CCC is a Crown corporation that specializes in international procurement markets for Canadian exporters and provides services to help them win export sales.
"Defense procurement is CCC's core business, and we are pleased to be able to bring a solution to two significant partners," said Robert Ryan, vice president of Defence at CCC.
Wing programs for C-130 outer and center wings are part of L-3 SPAR's industry-leading Herc2020(TM), a total aircraft life extension solution for the C-130 Hercules. One innovative feature of Herc2020 is the Center Wing Re-Life. L-3 SPAR is the only company in the world currently under contract to completely refurbish a C-130 center wing, enabling high time C-130E and H model aircraft to safely reach a planned withdrawal date of 2020 and beyond. L-3 SPAR is also under contract to perform a center wing teardown for the U.S. Air Force.
"The center and outer wings are both major life-limiting structural components on the C-130, and with many of the world's nearly 1,500 C-130s reaching high-time on their center and outer wings, L-3 SPAR offers operators solutions that will ensure the continuing airworthiness and reliability of their fleets for years to come," said Mr. Pelletier.
A division of New York City-based L-3 Communications, L-3 SPAR is one of Canada's leading aerospace companies and is a Lockheed Martin approved C-130 Hercules aircraft service center - the only one in North America outside of Lockheed Martin itself. L-3 SPAR's corporate headquarters are located in Edmonton, Alberta, with additional facilities in Trenton, Ontario; Mississauga, Ontario and Venice, Italy. With more than 800 employees across Canada, L-3 SPAR is a globally competitive market leader of MRO and Aircraft Life Extension Solutions for air mobility platforms. L-3 SPAR serves customers from Canada, the United States, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. To learn more about L-3 SPAR, please visit the company's web site at www.spar.ca.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications is a leading provider of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, secure communications systems, aircraft modernization, training and government services. The company is a leading merchant supplier of a broad array of high technology products, including guidance and navigation, sensors, scanners, fuzes, data links, propulsion systems, simulators, avionics, electro optics, satellite communications, electrical power equipment, encryption, signal intelligence, antennas and microwave components. L-3 also supports a variety of Homeland Security initiatives with products and services. Its customers include the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, selected U.S. Government intelligence agencies and aerospace prime contractors.
To learn more about L-3 Communications, please visit the company's web site at www.L-3com.com.
L-3 Communications
Cynthia Swain, 212-697-1111
or
SPAR Aerospace
Patrice Pelletier, 780-890-6301
or
Financial Dynamics
Investors: Eric Boyriven or Alexandra Tramont
Media: Evan Goetz
212-850-5600
