L3 Technologies, formerly L-3 Communications Holdings, was an American
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
that supplied
command and control
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
,
communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
s,
intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...
,
surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as c ...
and
reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities.
Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...
(
C3ISR) systems and products,
avionics
Avionics (a blend word, blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the Electronics, electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, Air navigation, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, ...
,
ocean
The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
products, training devices and services,
instrumentation
Instrumentation a collective term for measuring instruments that are used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities. The term has its origins in the art and science of scientific instrument-making.
Instrumentation can refer to ...
,
aerospace
Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astrona ...
, and
navigation
Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.Bowditch, 2003:799. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, ...
products. Its customers included the
Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
,
Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-terr ...
,
United States Intelligence Community
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
,
aerospace
Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astrona ...
contractors, and commercial
telecommunications
Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than that fe ...
and
wireless
Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...
customers. In 2019, it merged with
Harris Corporation and was renamed to
L3Harris Technologies
L3Harris Technologies (L3Harris) is an American technology company, defense contractor, and information technology services provider that produces C6ISR systems and products, wireless equipment, tactical radios, avionics and electronic systems, ...
.
L3 was headquartered in
Murray Hill, Manhattan
Murray Hill is a neighborhood on the east side of Manhattan in New York City. Murray Hill is generally bordered to the east by the East River or Kips Bay and to the west by Midtown Manhattan, though the exact boundaries are disputed. Murray Hi ...
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
.
History
L3 was formed as L-3 Communications in 1997 to acquire certain business units from
Lockheed Martin
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
that had previously been part of
Loral Corporation
Loral Corporation was a defense contractor founded in 1948 in New York by William Lorenz and Leon Alpert as Loral Electronics Corporation. The company's name was taken from the first letters of each founder's surname.
History
Loral Corporation or ...
. These units had belonged to
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer. Lockheed was founded in 1926 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995. Its founder, Allan Lockheed, had earlier founded the similarly named but ot ...
and
Martin Marietta, which had merged three years before in 1993. The company was founded by (and named for) Frank
Lanza and Robert
LaPenta in partnership with
Lehman Brothers. Lanza and LaPenta had both served as executives at Loral and Lockheed.
Acquisitions
;1997
*
Paramax Systems Corporation from Lockheed Martin.
Loral had acquired Paramax in 1995
;2000
* Training & Simulation Division of Raytheon Systems Co., based in
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...
. This company was formerly known as Hughes Training, Inc., and part of the Hughes Aircraft Defense Group purchased by Raytheon from
General Motors
The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
two years earlier. The division traces its ancestry to the original company formed by
Edwin Link
Edwin Albert Link (July 26, 1904 – September 7, 1981) was an American inventor, entrepreneur and pioneer in aviation, underwater archaeology, and submersibles. He invented the flight simulator, which was called the "Blue Box" or "Link Trai ...
, inventor of the
Link Trainer
The term Link Trainer, also known as the "Blue box" and "Pilot Trainer" is commonly used to refer to a series of flight simulators produced between the early 1930s and early 1950s by Link Aviation Devices, founded and headed by Ed Link, based o ...
airplane simulator, and accordingly was renamed Link Simulation and Training (now known as Link Training and Simulation).
;2001
* KDI Precision Products, Batavia, Ohio. Electronic fuzing, safe and arm devices.
*
Litton Electron Devices from Northrop Grumman (renamed L3 Electron Devices)
;2002
*
Raytheon
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitaliza ...
Aircraft Integration Systems (renamed L3 Integrated Systems; the
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is a city in Hunt County, Texas, United States, about northeast of Dallas. It is the county seat and largest city of Hunt County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557, and in 2019, its estimated population was 28,827. ...
facility is now known as L3 Mission Integration Division, while the
Waco, Texas
Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the ...
facility is now known as L3 Platform Integration Division)
* SyColeman Corporation, which came about from the joining of Sy Technologies and Coleman Research Corporation.
*
PerkinElmer
PerkinElmer, Inc., previously styled Perkin-Elmer, is an American global corporation focused in the business areas of diagnostics, life science research, food, environmental and industrial testing. Its capabilities include detection, imaging, inf ...
Detection Systems from PerkinElmer which became L-3 Security & Detection Systems.
*
Wescam
L3Harris Wescam, stylized as L3Harris WESCAM, is a Canadian company specializing in the production of gyro-stabilized, EO- IR imaging systems. Wescam Inc. is a subsidiary of L3Harris Technologies. The name has become synonymous with cameras of ...
(currently named L3 Harris Wescam) developer of gyro-stabilized, EO-IR imaging systems.
;2003
* Ship Analytics, Inc.
* BF Goodrich Avionics
* L-3 Communication MAS from Bombardier Aerospace.
;2004
* Cincinnati Electronics, Mason, Ohio. Infrared detectors & systems, space avionics.
;2005
*
Titan Corp., after a failed
buyout
In finance, a buyout is an investment transaction by which the ownership equity of a company, or a majority share of the stock of the company is acquired. The acquiror thereby "buys out" the present equity holders of the target company. A buyout ...
attempt by Lockheed Martin.
*
L-3 Communication Combat Propulsion Systems, previously owned by
General Dynamics Land Systems
General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is a manufacturer of military vehicles such as tanks and lighter armored fighting vehicles.
History
In February 1982 Chrysler announced the sale of Chrysler Defense, its profitable defense subsidiary, to ...
.
* L-3 Communications MAPPS, previously
CAE's Marine Controls unit
*
Electron Dynamic Devices from
Boeing Satellite Systems
The Boeing Satellite Development Center is a major business unit of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. It brought together Boeing satellite operations with that of GM Hughes Electronics' Space and Communications division in El Segundo, Calif ...
.
* Applied Signal & Image Technology, Linthicum Heights, MD. Geo-location systems for RF emitters.
* Sonoma Design Group, Santa Rosa, CA. Stabilized EO/IR sensors.
;2006
* Advanced System Architectures, a company based in Fleet, Hampshire, United Kingdom. L-3 ASA has core capabilities in the development and through-life management of complex information systems, data fusion and tracking solutions, and interoperable secure communications systems.
* Crestview Aerospace, a company based in northwest Florida. Crestview Aerospace provides aircraft structures, major airframe assemblies, and military aircraft modifications for leading prime contractors and
OEMs
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional or ...
in the aerospace industry. (Sold in 2017 along with Vertex Aerospace and TCS.)
* Nautronix and MariPro, based in
Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...
, Australia and
Santa Barbara, California, respectively, from Nautronix Plc in
Aberdeen, Scotland
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), an ...
. Nautronix and MariPro provide acoustic ranges and
hydrographics to commercial and defense markets.
* TRL Technology, a specialist defense electronics company based in
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean.
The county town is the city of Gl ...
, UK. TRL Technology is internationally known for development and innovation in the fields of interception, surveillance, electronic warfare, and communications.
;2010
*
Insight Technology
Insight Technology, Inc. is an optical device manufacturer based in Londonderry, New Hampshire, USA.
Insight Technology builds firearm accessories such as tactical flashlights and laser aiming modules, for military and civilian markets. The com ...
, a company based in
Londonderry, New Hampshire
Londonderry is a town in western Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. It sits between Manchester and Derry, the largest and fourth-largest communities in the state. The population was 25,826 at the 2020 census. Londonderry is known f ...
. Insight develops and builds optics, from
night-vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD), night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision. The dev ...
to weapon-mounted sights and lasers.
;2012
*
Thales Training and Simulation (partial), a multinational company which manufactures civil and military
full flight simulator
Full flight simulator (FFS) is a term used by national (civil) aviation authorities (NAA) for a high technical level of flight simulator. Such authorities include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and the European Avia ...
s and provides related training and support services – a wholly owned subsidiary of the
Thales Group
Thales Group () is a French multinational company that designs, develops and manufactures electrical systems as well as devices and equipment for the aerospace, defence, transportation and security sectors. The company is headquartered in Paris' ...
. In August 2012, L-3 acquired Thales Group's civil fixed-wing flight simulation business, to form
L-3 Link Simulation & Training UK.
;2015
* CTC Aviation Limited (rebranded in May 2017 as L3 Airline Academy) a company based in
Southampton
Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
providing training and resourcing to many international airlines.
;2016
* MacDonald Humfrey (Automation), a
Luton
Luton () is a town and unitary authority with borough status, in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 census, the Luton built-up area subdivision had a population of 211,228 and its built-up area, including the adjacent towns of Dunstable an ...
,
UK–based checkpoint security and automation company.
* ExMac (Automation), a
Droitwich
Droitwich Spa (often abbreviated to Droitwich ) is an historic spa town in the Wychavon district in northern Worcestershire, England, on the River Salwarpe. It is located approximately south-west of Birmingham and north-east of Worcester.
The ...
,
UK based automated material handling company.
;2017
* Open Water Power, a
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville ( ) is a city located directly to the northwest of Boston, and north of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81, ...
–based battery startup spun out of
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...
. Its novel aluminum-water battery technology promises a tenfold improvement in the endurance of
Unmanned Underwater Vehicle
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV), sometimes known as underwater drones, are submersible vehicles that can operate underwater without a human occupant. These vehicles may be divided into two categories: remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROU ...
s.
* Ocean-Server Technology, a
Fall River
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state.
Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...
, Massachusetts–based small business specializing in lithium-ion battery, sensor, and robotic mini-sub (UUV) products
* ASV Global, a
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette (, ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and the most populous city and parish seat of Lafayette Parish, located along the Vermilion River. It is Louisiana's fourth largest incorporated municipality by population and the 234th- ...
–based business with international offices in
Portchester
Portchester is a locality and suburb northwest of Portsmouth, England. It is part of the borough of Fareham in Hampshire. Once a small village, Portchester is now a busy part of the expanding conurbation between Portsmouth and Southampton on ...
specializing in
Autonomous Surface Vehicles for commercial and defense markets.
;2018
* In October 2018, L3 announced an all-stock "merger of equals" with Florida-based
Harris Corporation, to be closed (subject to approvals) in mid-2019. The merger was completed on June 29, 2019, and the new company,
L3Harris Technologies
L3Harris Technologies (L3Harris) is an American technology company, defense contractor, and information technology services provider that produces C6ISR systems and products, wireless equipment, tactical radios, avionics and electronic systems, ...
, Inc., is based in Melbourne, Florida, where Harris was headquartered.
Business organization
As of 2017, L3 was organized under four business segments:
* Electronic Systems
** Advanced Programs
** Aviation Products and Security
** Power and Propulsion Systems
** Precision Engagement and Training
* Aerospace Systems
** Aircraft Systems
** ISR Systems
** MAS
** Vertex Aerospace
* Communication Systems
** Advanced Communications
** Broadband Communications
** Space and Power
** Tactical SATCOM
* Sensor Systems
** Space & Sensor Systems
** Maritime Sensor Systems
** Worldwide Surveillance & Targeting Missions
** Warrior Sensor Systems
Management
Frank Lanza, CEO and co-founder, died on June 7, 2006. CFO Michael T. Strianese was named as interim CEO, and was later appointed Chairman, President and CEO of the company on October 23, 2006. In 2015, former
Lockheed Martin
The Lockheed Martin Corporation is an American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It ...
executive Christopher E. Kubasik was named president and COO, with Strianese remaining as chairman and CEO. On July 19, 2017, Strianese announced that he would retire as CEO on December 31, 2017, to be succeeded by Kubasik, but would remain as board chairman. As of January 1, 2018,
Christopher E. Kubasik became chief executive officer and president of L3 Technologies.
Naming
L3 Technologies was originally named L-3 Communications for the last initials of its founders Frank Lanza, Robert LaPenta, and
Lehman Brothers
Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. ( ) was an American global financial services firm founded in 1847. Before filing for bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States (behind Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, a ...
. Despite the similarity in naming, there is no corporate connection between L3 Technologies, formerly known as L-3 Communications, and networking provider
Level 3 Communications
Level 3 Communications was an American multinational telecommunications and Internet service provider company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. It ultimately became a part of CenturyLink (now Lumen Technologies), where Level 3 President ...
, whose name is often abbreviated "L3" in informal industry communication.
On December 31, 2016, the company changed its name from L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. to L3 Technologies, Inc. to better reflect the company's wider focus since its founding in 1997. The company's website changed from L-3com.com to L3T.com, but the company's
NYSE
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the List of stock exchanges, world's largest s ...
ticker symbol of LLL remained the same.
Products
* L-3 ProVision, Millimeter Wave Airport Passenger Screening System
* L-3 eXaminer SX, 3DX, and XLB, Airport baggage scanning systems
* L-3 OptEX, Trace level explosive detection system
*
AVCATT, a mobile aviation training simulator
* Orchid, Total Development & Simulation Environment (Power, Marine)
*
EOTech
EOTECH is an American company that designs, manufactures, and markets electro-optic and night vision products and systems. The company is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. They produce holographic weapon sights for small arms that have bee ...
,
Holographic weapon sights
* L-3 Sonoma EO, Electro Optical Imaging Systems, 1508M Dragon Eyes, 1205MD, 2111X, 2514X, & 2711G
Controversies
Federal contract suspension
In 2010, it was announced that L3's Special Support Programs Division had been suspended by the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
from doing any contract work for the US federal government. A US Department of Defense investigation had reportedly found that the company had, "used a highly sensitive government computer network to collect competitive business information for its own use." A US federal criminal investigation ended the temporary suspension on July 27, 2010.
Counterfeit parts
On November 4, 2010, L3 issued a part purge notification to prevent future use of Chinese counterfeit parts, but did not notify its customers whose display systems suffered from much higher than expected failure rates.
EOTech defective holographic sights lawsuit
In 2015, L3 Technologies agreed to pay $25.6 million to settle a lawsuit with the U.S. Government. L3 was accused of knowingly providing the U.S. military with optics that failed in extreme temperatures and humid weather conditions. These sights were provided to infantry and special operations forces operating in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as civilians and law enforcement.
["EOTech Breaks Silence over Defective Sights"]
, '' Military.com'', January 21, 2016. Retrieved on November 8, 2016.
The civil fraud lawsuit was filed by
Preet Bharara
Preetinder Singh Bharara (; born October 13, 1968) is an Indian-born American lawyer, author, podcaster and former federal prosecutor who served as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 to 2017. He is curren ...
, in the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit alleged L3 officials have known since 2006 that the holographic sights being sent to Iraq and Afghanistan failed to perform as advertised in extreme temperature ranges. The lawsuit alleges that the FBI independently discovered the thermal drift defect, where the point-of-aim would shift when the sights were exposed to temperature extremes,
in March 2015 and presented EOTech with "the very same findings that the company had documented internally for years. Shortly thereafter, EOTech finally disclosed the thermal drift defect to the DoD." According to court documents, EOTech had advertised that its sights performed in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and in humid conditions.
"US Optic Maker Settles Lawsuit Over Defective Rifle Sights"
, '' Military.com'', December 2, 2015. Retrieved on * November 2015.
See also
* Top 100 Contractors of the U.S. federal government
The Top 100 Contractors Report is a list developed annually by the U.S. General Services Administration as part of its tracking of U.S. federal government procurement, of the "Top 100" contractors in the United States.
In fiscal year 2005, the f ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Coord, 40.7492, -73.9757, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NY, display=title
Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Avionics companies
Electronics companies established in 1997
Electronics companies disestablished in 2019
American companies established in 1997
American companies disestablished in 2019
Defense companies of the United States
Electronics companies of the United States
Security equipment manufacturers
Collier Trophy recipients
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
1997 establishments in New York (state)
2019 disestablishments in New York (state)
2019 mergers and acquisitions
Former Lockheed Martin companies
Corporate spin-offs
L3Harris Technologies
Defunct manufacturing companies based in New York City