NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 20, 2009-- L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL), the prime contractor for the U.S. Army and Air Force Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) program, announced today a $203 million order of seven additional aircraft by the JCA Joint Program Office. This January 2009 order brings the current contract total to 13 aircraft. L-3 leads an industry team that includes aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aeronautica, Rolls Royce, Honeywell and Dowty.

“We are very happy with the team’s performance and progress on the program,” said James Burkhardt, president of L-3’s Platform Integration division.

“This latest order reflects the confidence that the U.S. government has in our abilities to continue to perform at the highest levels,” said Giuseppe Giordo, president and chief executive officer of Alenia North America and co-chief operating officer of aircraft manufacturer Alenia Aeronautica. “Our team’s intense focus on delivering on our commitments remains absolutely critical as we continue to meet the needs of our customers worldwide.”

With the first two C-27J aircraft delivered and crew training under way, the program continues to progress on schedule and on budget. Following the on-time delivery of the first aircraft in 2008, the first C-27J JCA training class commenced in November 2008, preparing pilots and loadmasters to perform multiple mission roles and serve as instructors.

Alenia North America is a subsidiary of Alenia Aeronautica and part of the Finmeccanica Group. Its mission is to further expand the industrial and commercial presence of the Alenia Group in North America. Alenia North America Inc. is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in Seattle, Wash.; Long Beach, Calif.; and Fort Worth, Texas. Alenia North America – Canada, a subsidiary wholly owned by Alenia North America, has offices in Ottawa, Canada. Alenia North America is also a shareholder in several joint venture companies located in the United States. Global Aeronautica, a joint venture with The Boeing Company, is located in North Charleston, South Carolina, and performs significant integration and sub assembly work for the Boeing 787 program. Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS), a joint venture with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, is a center of excellence to support the C-27J in North America. GMAS is headquartered in Madison, Miss.

L-3 Integrated Systems (L-3 IS) develops and integrates defense and commercial technology for U.S. and allied customers worldwide. Headquartered in Greenville, Texas, L-3 IS has more than five decades of experience in the development of complex intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; command and control; and secure communications. It is recognized internationally as a systems integration organization specializing in the modernization and maintenance of aircraft of all sizes. It is a leader in advanced technologies for signal processing, electronic countermeasures, sensor development and aircraft self-protection. Systems provided or maintained by L-3 IS help protect military and civilian personnel, bases, assets and national borders throughout the world.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs approximately 65,000 people worldwide and is a prime contractor in aircraft modernization and maintenance, C³ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and government services. L-3 is also a leading provider of high technology products, subsystems and systems. The company reported 2008 sales of $14.9 billion.

To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's Web site at www.L-3com.com. L-3 uses its Web site as a channel of distribution of material company information. Financial and other material information regarding L-3 is routinely posted on the company’s Web site and is readily accessible.

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Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this news release are forward-looking statements. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to events or conditions or that include words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "will," "could" and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement, including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-looking Statements included in the company's recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Notes to Editors:

• The C-27J is a mid-range, multifunctional and interoperable aircraft able to perform logistical re-supply, MEDEVAC, troop movement, airdrop operations, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and homeland security missions for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. The C-27J will replace the U.S. Army’s C-23 Sherpa and portions of the US Army’s C-12 and C-26 fleet. The C-27J will augment the U.S. Air Force’s existing fleet of intra-theater airlifters. The aircraft will play a key role in providing responsive aerial sustainment and critical re-supply support for the maneuver force.
• The C-27J Spartan has been in production in Italy since 2001, and has been delivered to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Lithuania. It has also been ordered by Romania and Morocco. The C-27J Spartan has been most recently selected by Slovakia with contract negotiations underway. Orders to-date, follow-on contracts, as well as international, foreign military and variant sales are expected to extend orders for the C-27J to more than 200 aircraft.
• The C-27J Spartan is the latest in a successful tradition of military airlifters, which includes the C-27A Spartan and the G.222, which have been deployed by NATO, Coalition Forces, the United Nations and Italy. The aircraft has been used successfully in support of military and humanitarian operations in Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia, Congo, Operations Desert Shield and Storm, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kosovo, Libya, Mali, Panama, Rwanda, Somalia, Uganda. and Yemen. C-27A Spartans are currently carrying out vital counter-drug activities for the United States in Central and South America.

Source: L-3 Communications

L-3 Integrated Systems
Lance Martin, 254-867-7001
Manager, Public Relations