The order, valued at $7.9 million, is an option exercise of a previously awarded basic year procurement contract. The combined value of the executed orders to date is $10.6 million, with anticipated future options that could increase the total procurement to over $16 million, Business Wire reported.

L-3 has worked extensively with Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force at Hanscom Airfield and Tinker Air Force Base to develop and produce a WBKPA that provides the frequency coverage of the two narrow chain Klystrons currently in use in the E-3 Sentry radar system.

L-3 said its new Klystron would provide improved reliability, system redundancy and simplified logistics.

The WBKPA is integral to the radar subsystem which provides all-weather surveillance and command, control and communications (C3) functions needed by commanders of U.S. and NATO air defense forces, Business Wire said

"The success of this program is a demonstration of L-3's commitment, dedication and perseverance to providing the modern warfighter with the leading-edge technology required to maintain a position of superiority throughout the world," said Jim Benham, president of L-3 Electron Devices.

The E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft is built by Boeing Defense & Space Group. The role of the E-3 Sentry is to carry out airborne surveillance and C3 functions for both tactical and air defense forces.

The E-3 Sentry look-down radar has a 360-degree view of the horizon, and at operating altitudes has a range of more than 190 miles. The radar can detect and track air and sea targets simultaneously. In a tactical role, the E-3 Sentry can detect and track hostile aircraft operating at low altitudes over any terrain and can identify and control friendly aircraft in the same airspace. In the strategic defense role, the E-3 Sentry provides the means to detect, identify, track and intercept airborne threats.

The primary radar housed in the rotodome is the Northrop Grumman AN/APY-1/2 AWACS radar. The radar transmitters, computers and display stations are housed within the fuselage. The radar is multi-mode using powerful interleaving and de-interleaving algorithms.

The main operating modes are: Pulse Doppler Non Elevation Scan (PDNES) mode for surveillance of airborne targets and Pulse Doppler Elevation Scan (PDES) mode to determine the target elevation.

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