L-3 Supplies Automatic EDS Technology for Heathrow Airport's New Terminal 5

March 7, 2006
Company delivers its eXaminer systems and 21 MVT-HR units for baggage handling

L-3 Communications announced today that its Security and Detection Systems subsidiary received a substantial order from BAA, plc to provide explosives detection equipment at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) Terminal 5 (T5). Twenty-one MVT-HR and six eXaminer 3DX systems will be integrated into the state-of-the-art baggage handling system to screen checked baggage for British Airways, the sole occupant of T5.

"When it opens, T5 will be one of the most advanced and passenger-friendly terminals in the world," said Ian Hutcheson, director of security at BAA. "Used together, the MVT-HRs and eXaminers will provide an additional layer of security without disrupting the flow of bags."

"L-3 is extremely proud to have been selected to help protect the newest terminal at Europe's busiest airport," stated Thomas Ripp, president of L-3 Security and Detection Systems. "The BAA contract is the latest in a series of orders from international airport operators that confirms the industry's confidence in L-3's explosives screening technology." According to Mr. Ripp, L-3's exclusive range of both computed tomography (CT) and advanced technology (AT) products offers customizable and scalable solutions for international airports.

L-3 won the contract on the technical merits of its screening systems in a competitive bid process. This order is the latest in a series of BAA purchases of L-3 technology, including more than 100 VIS systems deployed throughout the United Kingdom at seven BAA airports.

L-3's MVT-HR X-ray screening system uses AT and provides unmatched imaging capabilities. It is capable of screening 1,800 bags per hour, the highest throughput available in any explosives screening system in the aviation industry. It improves upon the accuracy and performance of L-3's successful MVT, with standard features such as a unique high-resolution imaging capability for improved and unmatched threat resolution, and Transparent Color, which provides crisp, defined color images that are easier to view and analyze. The MVT-HR is also line-replaceable with L-3's MVT and VIS-M systems, minimizing impact to baggage handling systems for customers who seek to upgrade their existing integrated screening equipment.

The eXaminer explosives detection system (EDS) is a CT system that is certified by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for automated explosives detection. In 2005, L-3 introduced a number of industry-leading advancements to the eXaminer that set it apart from competing systems, including the ability to accommodate long, oversized baggage up to 100 inches (2.54 meters) in length, such as skis or golf club bags. There are currently more than 650 eXaminer systems deployed worldwide.

About the MVT-HR (Multi-View Tomography High Resolution)

-- Approved for use by the U.K.'s Department for Transport (DfT).

-- Retains the baseline explosives detection capability of the L-3 MVT that meets the TSA's criteria for the detection of explosives.

-- Detection software automatically adapts to screen large (out-of-gauge) luggage, such as skis and golf clubs, up to 250 cm (98.4 inches) long, reducing the need for manual searches.

-- Accurately measures mass, density, atomic number (Zeff), and other physical characteristics of objects using multiple independent X-ray sources, each with a different viewing angle.

About the eXaminer 3DX

-- Unprecedented baggage throughput of 600 bags or more per hour when operating within a fully integrated baggage-handling system environment.

-- Advanced 3-D imaging capability allowing operators to resolve alarmed bags more quickly, resulting in improved operational efficiencies.

-- Networking capability that allows images from multiple machines to be evaluated by multiple operators over a secure system.

-- Additional operational features that improve the overall reliability of in-line systems.