BusinessWire
March 13, 2006 06:00 AM US Pacific Timezone

L-3 Communications' Network-Centric Common Data Link Completes Factory Qualification and Test

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2006--L-3 Communications (NYSE:LLL) announced today that its Multi-Platform Common Data Link (MP-CDL) System successfully completed Factory Environmental Qualification, Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Factory Acceptance Tests at the company's Communication Systems-West (CS-West) facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. Developed under contract with the Aeronautical Systems Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, the MP-CDL program has pioneered the development of high capacity, high data-rate, network-centric communication systems.

Two dual-channel airborne systems and two dual-channel surface systems implementing the airborne Network-CDL (N-CDL) waveform were successfully tested. N-CDL is the first wideband data link waveform to provide a self-forming, self-healing, jam resistant, adaptive data rate, Internet Protocol (IP)-compatible multiple-access network with an aggregate capacity of 137 Mbps (outbound) and 67 Mbps (inbound), while supporting 50 active nodes. The airborne terminals also demonstrated the Advanced CDL (A-CDL) waveform, a jam resistant, adaptive data rate and robust IP-enabled air-to-air waveform capable of 274 Mbps between airborne platforms.

Major Christopher Nelson, Flight Commander of the unit responsible for this development, stated, "This is a major first step in providing a true network-centric wideband airborne data link. Airborne platforms now have the capability to provide a robust, low-latency, high-capacity network supporting tomorrow's bandwidth needs today. This capability enables real-time information dissemination to ground forces as well as to other airborne platforms."

The MP-CDL systems are in compliance with the current CDL waveform specification, including Annex B, as validated by the Joint Interoperability Test Center (JITC) against existing network-enabled CDL surface terminals. The hardware includes both a software-configurable modem that is in-flight configurable to many different system configurations and an 8-Gbps embedded software-configurable IP router supporting dual simultaneous channels with spare slots for a third simultaneous channel. Each channel supports up to 274 Mbps data of throughput, with future growth to 548 Mbps. The systems are fully software-programmable, secure, ruggedized and support backward compatible modes with CDL terminals provided by multiple industry suppliers. Automatic network formation, dynamic ingress/egress, automatic hub hand-off, automatic data rate adjustments and dynamically assigned independent data rates (per node) have all been verified through laboratory test.

The MP-CDL terminals support industry standard networking protocols including Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), IP, User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Ethernet, Generic Framing Protocol (GFP) and others. Plans are in place to perform extensive flight demonstrations of these terminals during 2006 and 2007.

CS-West, located in Salt Lake City, UT, is the preeminent supplier of wideband data links and mobile surface and airborne satellite terminals for military applications in the world. CS-West has over 40 years of experience in providing robust, mobile microwave, satellite terminals and wideband data links for airborne platforms, including manned and unmanned platforms, operating in a variety of environments.

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.

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

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" 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