31 Jan 06. L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL – News) announced today that it acquired Advanced System Architectures Ltd. (ASA) on January 25, 2006. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The business has been renamed L-3 ASA. It will report to L-3’s Integrated Systems Group and be included in L-3’s Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C(3)ISR) reportable segment. The acquisition is expected to add approximately $10 million to L-3’s sales in 2006.
Headquartered in Alton, Hampshire, England, ASA is a niche systems engineering and software developer of multi-sensor fusion and tracking systems, primarily for challenging “targets” such as cruise and ballistic missiles and military aircraft. The company also develops interoperability communication systems for defense applications, as well as commercial on-board passenger information, entertainment and IT systems for air and rail travel. MultiSwitch, ASA’s innovative communications interoperability product is well-positioned in UK MoD data and voice communications programs. Additionally, ASA currently supports key DoD and U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) programs, as well as prime contractor initiatives in the UK and United States.
Founded in 1984, ASA’s Target Oriented Tracking System (TOTS) technology is a recognized world leader in the field of multi-sensor data fusion and tracking. TOTS supports multi-sensor data fusion and missile tracking requirements with flexible, highly maneuver-sensitive and precise real time information capabilities. The system can serve as a single sensor tracker and can simultaneously observe multiple target types. TOTS can also receive feeds from multi-heterogeneous sensors such as surface, airborne and space-based radars and electro-optical sensors.
“As a leader in the sensor fusing and tracking field, ASA adds their unique capabilities and products to L-3 while being highly complementary to several of our existing business areas,” said Frank C. Lanza, chairman and chief executive officer of L-3 Communications. “We are very pleased to expand L-3’s international footprint with an advanced technology business like ASA.”
Mr. Lanza also noted that ASA is L-3’s first acquisition in the UK defense sector and helps to expand L-3’s presence on key MoD initiatives. “ASA is a great example of the kind of company that L-3 is looking for. Not only is ASA a leader in its fields, with products that increase the effectiveness of legacy systems, but we also see the opportunity to integrate its advanced systems with existing L-3 ISR and communications products.”
“For example, our MarCom suite of maritime communication products for the U.S. Navy will be enhanced by the addition of MultiSwitch’s functionality. At the same time, pairing MarCom and MultiSwitch in the UK would provide a new level of crypto and secure network systems to both the MoD and NATO. Additionally, by combining ASA’s TOTS software with our Network Centric Collaborative Targeting capabilities, L-3 has more opportunity within the UK’s LISTENER initiative.”