L-3 Communications' SPAR Aerospace completes C-130 Hercules Centre Wing refurbishment for the Royal New Zealand Air Force
SPAR Aerospace Limited (L-3 SPAR), a subsidiary of L-3 Communications
(NYSE: LLL), successfully completed the first C-130 center wing refurbishment
and reinstallation on May 28, 2007, achieving a critical milestone on the Royal
New Zealand Air Force's (RNZAF) C-130 Life Extension Program.
This is the first-ever complete refurbishment of a C-130 centre wing that
addresses the critical life-limiting problem on the C-130 Hercules: centre wing
structural fatigue and cracking. Rather than an inspect and repair approach,
SPAR's innovative solution involved the complete disassembly of the center wing
box and the replacement of more than 80 percent of the centre wing box parts,
including the complete reconstruction of the entire lower surface. L-3 SPAR
developed its own refurbishment processes and special tooling.
"The completion of the centre wing refurbishment is the culmination of a
10-year focus on developing innovative, cost effective solutions for customers
with C-130 centre wing fatigue problems," said Patrice Pelletier, L-3 SPAR
President. "SPAR's more than 45 years of maintaining and modernizing some of
the oldest C-130s still flying, including Canada's Hercules fleet, has allowed
it to develop a unique and independent capacity to solve customers centre wing
fatigue issues. This is an exciting day for C-130 operators; the successful
centre wing refurbishment offers a cost effective viable alternative to the
purchase of new aircraft and new centre wings."
The RNZAF centre wing refurbishment is central to SPAR's Herc 2020(TM)
end-to-end total aircraft life extension solution for the C-130 aircraft. It is
SPAR's innovative response to C-130 operators faced with ageing aircraft and
constrained budgets, permitting them to extend the life of their aircraft by 15
to 20 years at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new one.
"We selected SPAR for this program because of their C-130 pedigree and the
innovative low-risk solution that they came up with to address our fleet
modernization requirements," said Ian Gibson, New Zealand Ministry of Defence
Project Manager. "We are very happy with the outcome and with the way that SPAR
managed the risk on the centre wing refurbishment."
The centre wing refurbishment is part of an extensive six-year Life
Extension Program (LEP) awarded to L-3 SPAR in December 2004 by the New Zealand
Ministry of Defence, the single most comprehensive avionics, mechanical systems
and structural refurbishment program ever performed on a C-130H aircraft. As a
result of this program the RNZAF C-130 fleet of five aircraft will be one of
the most modern in the world and will be able to safely operate beyond the
predicted withdrawal date of 2017.
The project scope includes a comprehensive structural refurbishment
program, consisting of structural inspections, modifications and replacements
in more than 100 areas of the aircraft; a complete centre wing refurbishment;
Fatigue Improvement Modifications (FIM); extensive mechanical systems
modifications and replacements, including an upgraded environmental control
system; a complete Avionics Upgrade Program, including a GATM compliant glass
cockpit, all communications, navigation and warning systems; and rewiring and
electrical power distribution modification.
The prototype aircraft is being refurbished at L-3 SPAR's facilities in
Edmonton, Canada. Two of the aircraft will be refurbished in Edmonton; the
other three will be done in New Zealand. This is the first aircraft to undergo
centre wing refurbishment. The refurbishment of the second aircraft's centre
wing will begin in Edmonton in August of this year, with the assembly of the
all-new lower wing surface.
L-3 SPAR began the first C-130 centre wing refurbishment in January 2007.
A division of New York City-based L-3 Communications, SPAR Aerospace is one
of Canada's leading aerospace companies and is a Lockheed Martin approved C-130
Hercules aircraft service centre - the only one in North America outside of
Lockheed Martin itself. L-3 SPAR's corporate headquarters are located in
Edmonton, Alberta, with additional facilities in Trenton, Ontario and Venice,
Italy. With approximately 600 employees across Canada, L-3 SPAR is a globally
competitive market leader of MRO and Aircraft Life Extension Solutions for air
mobility platforms. L-3 SPAR serves customers from Canada, the United States,
Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. To learn more
about L-3 SPAR, please visit the company's web site at www.spar.ca.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs over 63,000
people worldwide and is a prime system contractor in aircraft modernization and
maintenance, C(3)ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and government services. L-3 is also a
leading provider of high technology products, subsystems and systems. The
company reported 2006 sales of $12.5 billion.
To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's web site at:
www.L-3Com.com
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES
LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth
in this news release are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement,
including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor
Compliance Statement for Forward-looking Statements included in the company's
recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and
the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For photos of the event please visit the attached link:
http://www.spar.ca/images/PressRelease/PR0507PhotoGallery.html
(NYSE: LLL), successfully completed the first C-130 center wing refurbishment
and reinstallation on May 28, 2007, achieving a critical milestone on the Royal
New Zealand Air Force's (RNZAF) C-130 Life Extension Program.
This is the first-ever complete refurbishment of a C-130 centre wing that
addresses the critical life-limiting problem on the C-130 Hercules: centre wing
structural fatigue and cracking. Rather than an inspect and repair approach,
SPAR's innovative solution involved the complete disassembly of the center wing
box and the replacement of more than 80 percent of the centre wing box parts,
including the complete reconstruction of the entire lower surface. L-3 SPAR
developed its own refurbishment processes and special tooling.
"The completion of the centre wing refurbishment is the culmination of a
10-year focus on developing innovative, cost effective solutions for customers
with C-130 centre wing fatigue problems," said Patrice Pelletier, L-3 SPAR
President. "SPAR's more than 45 years of maintaining and modernizing some of
the oldest C-130s still flying, including Canada's Hercules fleet, has allowed
it to develop a unique and independent capacity to solve customers centre wing
fatigue issues. This is an exciting day for C-130 operators; the successful
centre wing refurbishment offers a cost effective viable alternative to the
purchase of new aircraft and new centre wings."
The RNZAF centre wing refurbishment is central to SPAR's Herc 2020(TM)
end-to-end total aircraft life extension solution for the C-130 aircraft. It is
SPAR's innovative response to C-130 operators faced with ageing aircraft and
constrained budgets, permitting them to extend the life of their aircraft by 15
to 20 years at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new one.
"We selected SPAR for this program because of their C-130 pedigree and the
innovative low-risk solution that they came up with to address our fleet
modernization requirements," said Ian Gibson, New Zealand Ministry of Defence
Project Manager. "We are very happy with the outcome and with the way that SPAR
managed the risk on the centre wing refurbishment."
The centre wing refurbishment is part of an extensive six-year Life
Extension Program (LEP) awarded to L-3 SPAR in December 2004 by the New Zealand
Ministry of Defence, the single most comprehensive avionics, mechanical systems
and structural refurbishment program ever performed on a C-130H aircraft. As a
result of this program the RNZAF C-130 fleet of five aircraft will be one of
the most modern in the world and will be able to safely operate beyond the
predicted withdrawal date of 2017.
The project scope includes a comprehensive structural refurbishment
program, consisting of structural inspections, modifications and replacements
in more than 100 areas of the aircraft; a complete centre wing refurbishment;
Fatigue Improvement Modifications (FIM); extensive mechanical systems
modifications and replacements, including an upgraded environmental control
system; a complete Avionics Upgrade Program, including a GATM compliant glass
cockpit, all communications, navigation and warning systems; and rewiring and
electrical power distribution modification.
The prototype aircraft is being refurbished at L-3 SPAR's facilities in
Edmonton, Canada. Two of the aircraft will be refurbished in Edmonton; the
other three will be done in New Zealand. This is the first aircraft to undergo
centre wing refurbishment. The refurbishment of the second aircraft's centre
wing will begin in Edmonton in August of this year, with the assembly of the
all-new lower wing surface.
L-3 SPAR began the first C-130 centre wing refurbishment in January 2007.
A division of New York City-based L-3 Communications, SPAR Aerospace is one
of Canada's leading aerospace companies and is a Lockheed Martin approved C-130
Hercules aircraft service centre - the only one in North America outside of
Lockheed Martin itself. L-3 SPAR's corporate headquarters are located in
Edmonton, Alberta, with additional facilities in Trenton, Ontario and Venice,
Italy. With approximately 600 employees across Canada, L-3 SPAR is a globally
competitive market leader of MRO and Aircraft Life Extension Solutions for air
mobility platforms. L-3 SPAR serves customers from Canada, the United States,
Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. To learn more
about L-3 SPAR, please visit the company's web site at www.spar.ca.
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications employs over 63,000
people worldwide and is a prime system contractor in aircraft modernization and
maintenance, C(3)ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence,
Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and government services. L-3 is also a
leading provider of high technology products, subsystems and systems. The
company reported 2006 sales of $12.5 billion.
To learn more about L-3, please visit the company's web site at:
www.L-3Com.com
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES
LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995
Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth
in this news release are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking
statements set forth above involve a number of risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from any such statement,
including the risks and uncertainties discussed in the company's Safe Harbor
Compliance Statement for Forward-looking Statements included in the company's
recent filings, including Forms 10-K and 10-Q, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and
the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For photos of the event please visit the attached link:
http://www.spar.ca/images/PressRelease/PR0507PhotoGallery.html