Electronic Threats Focus of USAF Contracts

KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M., March 2, 2006 -- Eight companies received contracts potentially worth a total of $24 million from the Air Force Research Laboratory to identify potential electronic threats to US systems and to develop methods to enhance the Defense Department's ability to defend against high-power electromagnetic weapons.

Under the contracts, the companies will be supporting the Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate over the next five years. The directorate focuses its research on developing high-energy lasers, high-power microwave systems and other directed energies for national defense.

The companies and their initial awards are Fiore Industries Inc. ($33,166) and Voss Scientific ($73,351), both based in Albuquerque, N.M.; Alliant Technologies/Mission Research Corp. ($419,562) in Santa Barbara, Calif.; Electro Magnetic Applications Inc. ($81,416) in Lakewood, Colo.; Lockheed Martin Corp. ($97,894) in Grand Prairie, Texas; Science Applications International Corp. ($196,881), based in San Diego; Northrop Grumman Corp. ($334,613), based in Los Angeles; and ITT Industries ($419,516) of White Plains, N.Y.

For more information, visit: www.afrl.af.mil