L-3 Communications Acquires Klein Associates

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 -- L-3 Communications announced it has acquired Klein Associates Inc., a business unit of OYO Corp. of Japan, for $30 million in cash. L-3 said Klein Associates is expected to be slightly accretive to L-3 Communications results.

L-3 makes secure and specialized systems for satellite, avionics and marine communications. Its products include flight recorders (black boxes), display systems and wireless telecom gear. Klein Associates, based in Salem, N.H., develops side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers and related instruments and accessories for undersea search and survey. Its customers include the US Navy and other navies worldwide, engineering survey companies, pipeline companies, oil companies, port authorities, geology survey organizations and hydrographic surveyors. L-3 said the company's sonar equipment has a solid record of success, and its products and systems have been used to help locate a number of lost vessels, including the Titanic, and downed aircraft including the Space Shuttle Challenger, TWA Flight 800 and Swiss Air Flight 111.

"Klein's sonar products are very synergistic with our Ocean Systems products," said Frank C. Lanza, chairman and CEO of L-3 Communications. "Its mine countermeasures and ship and sub-service location and acquisition centers are commercially based products significantly capable for homeland security and numerous navy applications. As the Navy increasingly relies on commercial-off-the-shelf technology, Klein is well positioned to be a major player in this market."

Lanza said Klein was also an "early entry" into the harbor security market. Its HarborGuard Command and Control product for maritime and harbor protection is being used by the US Navy. The company is also the exclusive dealer for Raytheon Marine's commercial sonar and navigation products in the US.

For more information, visit: www.l-3com.com