L-3 Communications Advanced Laser Systems Technology (L-3 ALST) designs, develops, and manufactures lasers and laser rangefinding systems. As an active center of

laser and electro-optical system development, Central Florida provided the ideal environment for the creation of L-3 ALST. The founders, drawing on their extensive previous experience with companies such as Martin Marietta, International Laser Systems, and Laser Photonics, established the company in July 1987. After its incorporation, L-3 ALST developed a new laser product for medical applications, and eventually sold its entire medical laser business to Surgical Laser Technologies in 1990. For the last fourteen years, L-3 ALST has focused on the production of laser rangefinders for various specialized applications, including military surveillance, fire-control, navigation, laser altimetry, and interplanetary space probes. The diversity of contracts in which L-3 ALST has participated distinguishes it from other companies in the laser industry.

L-3 ALST provides custom electro-optical systems design and analysis, as well as cost-effective fabrication. With extensive commercial and government contract experience, L-3 ALST offers high quality engineering expertise for a variety of requirements in the field of lasers and electro-optics. The revolutionary designs developed at L-3 ALST have surpassed all industry standards for efficiency, compact size, ruggedness, and low cost of manufacture.

L-3 ALST’s rangefinder products are found in a wide variety of systems including handheld man-portable thermal imagers, in long range surveillance systems mounted on military vehicles, in gimbal systems on both manned and unmanned / fixed and rotor wing aircraft, major combatant naval vessels as well as on small attack craft, in attack class submarine periscopes and on space craft.

L-3 ALST manufacturers both flashlamp and diode pumped eyesafe (ELRF) and non-eyesafe (LRF) rangefinders as well as a new advanced technology diode pumped integrated Laser Rangefinder / Designator (LRF/D).  This innovative new approach provides the capability of both an eyesafe laser rangefinder and a laser target designator in the same unit using two distinct laser sources – this approach significantly decreases the weight and space required while increasing reliability and eliminating a major single point of failure that could impact the operation of both functions.

In September 2006 L-3 ALST relocated to a customized 40,000 sq ft facility four (4) times the size of the its previous operations.  This new facility provides ideal laboratory and manufacturing environments for the fabrication operations and test of electro-optic / laser systems.