Defense contractor Exelis (NYSE: XLS) landed a sizable Pentagon contract Thursday. The award, for $125.7 million, came in the form of an option-exercise extending a previously awarded firm-fixed-price production contract to supply the U.S. Navy with 62 AN/ALQ-214(V)4 On-Board Jammer Systems as part of Full Rate Production Lot 10.
Exelis describes the ALQ-214 as a "next generation integrated countermeasures system" installed in U.S. Navy F/A-18 carrier-based aircraft, and also in F/A-18s operated by the Royal Australian Air Force. The system uses receivers and active countermeasures to form an "electronic shield" protecting the F/A-18 from hostile fire, and attempting to confuse also hostile radar signals to defeat detection.
Exelis will be delivering the instant order of jamming systems for installation aboard U.S. Navy F/A-18s. A November 2015 delivery date is anticipated.
