Textron Awarded $10M for SS Laser

WILMINGTON, Mass., Feb. 17, 2006 -- Textron Systems, a high-power laser developer for the defense industry, announced yesterday that it has been awarded a contract by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command to develop and demonstrate high-power solid-state laser technology. The contract supports the Joint Technology Office's Joint High Power Solid State Laser Program (J-HPSSL) Phase III project to develop a laboratory-demonstrated 100 kW solid-state laser within a three-year period for use by the US military.

The initial contract, signed in December, is currently valued at $10 million; with options, its value could increase to $30 million. The contract is funded by the Joint Technology Office, an arm of the US Department of Defense (DoD) that functions as the DoD's advocate for high-energy laser (HEL) technology development and funds high priority science and technology activities supporting future HEL weapon requirements. The goal of the J-HPSSL program is to demonstrate integration of scaleable subsystem technologies at the laboratory level into a 100 kW-class solid-state laser system to give military personnel the ability to end engagements more quickly and to hit targets more accurately from further away while inflicting low collateral damage.

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