L3 Technologies

L3 Technologies
Company type	Public
Industry	Defense, aerospace, electronics
Founded	1997
Founder	Frank Lanza, Robert LaPenta, Lehman Brothers
Defunct	2019
Fate	Merged with Harris Corporation to form L3Harris Technologies
Headquarters	Murray Hill, Manhattan, New York City, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Michael T. Strianese (Chairman and CEO), Christopher E. Kubasik (CEO and President)
Products	Command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance technologies; avionics; maritime products; training simulators; instrumentation; aerospace components; navigation solutions
Number of employees	38,000 (2017)
Website	l3t.com

L3 Technologies, previously known as L-3 Communications Holdings, was a United States-based firm specializing in command and control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C3ISR) technologies, avionics, maritime products, training simulators, instrumentation, aerospace components, and navigation solutions. Its major clients comprised the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Intelligence Community, NASA, aerospace contractors, as well as commercial telecommunications and wireless industries. In 2019, L3 combined with Harris Corporation to establish L3Harris Technologies.

With its headquarters situated in Murray Hill, Manhattan, New York City, L3 Technologies reported revenues of $9.573 billion in 2017, alongside an operating income of $1.020 billion and a net profit of $986 million. The company employed around 38,000 personnel worldwide. Leading figures included Chairman and CEO Michael T. Strianese and CEO and President Christopher E. Kubasik.

L3’s operational strategy centered on delivering sophisticated defense electronics and aerospace systems to both government agencies and commercial enterprises internationally. The company relied on strategic acquisitions and innovation to sustain its competitive edge within the defense sector.

History

Founded in 1997 as L-3 Communications, the company was created to acquire business segments from Lockheed Martin that had previously belonged to Loral Corporation. These segments originally came from Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, which merged in 1993. The enterprise was established by Frank Lanza and Robert LaPenta—former executives from Loral and Lockheed—in collaboration with Lehman Brothers.

1997

Procured Paramax Systems Corporation from Lockheed Martin (which had been acquired by Loral in 1995).

2000

Acquired Raytheon Systems Co.'s Training & Simulation Division located in Arlington, Texas. This division traced its heritage to Edwin Link’s original aircraft simulator company and was renamed Link Simulation and Training.

2001

Bought KDI Precision Products in Batavia, Ohio, specializing in electronic fuzing and safe-and-arm devices.
Acquired Litton Electron Devices from Northrop Grumman; renamed as L3 Electron Devices.

2002

Purchased Raytheon Aircraft Integration Systems (renamed L3 Integrated Systems) with operations in Greenville, Texas (L3 Mission Integration Division) and Waco, Texas (L3 Platform Integration Division).
Acquired SyColeman Corporation, formed through the merger of Sy Technologies and Coleman Research.
Took over PerkinElmer Detection Systems, rebranded as L-3 Security & Detection Systems.
Purchased Wescam, known for gyro-stabilized EO-IR imaging systems (now operating as L3 Harris Wescam).

2003

Acquired Ship Analytics, Inc.
Purchased BF Goodrich Avionics
Bought L-3 Communication MAS from Bombardier Aerospace

2004

Acquired Cincinnati Electronics in Mason, Ohio—specializing in infrared detectors and space avionics.
Purchased Raytheon Commercial Infrared based in Richardson, Texas—focused on infrared detector technologies.

2005

Acquired Titan Corp. following an unsuccessful Lockheed Martin acquisition attempt.
Bought L-3 Communication Combat Propulsion Systems, formerly part of General Dynamics Land Systems.
Acquired L-3 Communications MAPPS, previously CAE's Marine Controls division.
Purchased Electron Dynamic Devices from Boeing Satellite Systems.
Took over Applied Signal & Image Technology in Linthicum Heights, MD—specializing in geo-location systems for RF emitters.
Acquired Sonoma Design Group located in Santa Rosa, CA—producers of stabilized EO/IR sensors.

2006

Advanced System Architectures, Fleet, UK – specializing in information systems, data integration, and secure communication solutions
Crestview Aerospace, Florida – focused on aircraft structural engineering and military modifications (divested in 2017)
Nautronix and MariPro, based in Australia and California – providers of acoustic range technology and hydrographic services for both commercial and defense sectors
TRL Technology, Gloucestershire, UK – developers of interception, surveillance, electronic warfare, and communication technologies

2010

Insight Technology, located in Londonderry, New Hampshire, manufactures optical devices including night-vision equipment and weapon-mounted sighting systems

2012

Thales Training & Simulation (TTSL – partial acquisition), a subsidiary of Thales Group producing civil and military flight simulators. In August 2012, L-3 acquired TTSL’s civil fixed-wing simulation division in Crawley, UK, incorporating it into L-3 Link Simulation & Training. This unit was subsequently renamed L3 Commercial Aviation Solutions. In 2023, it was sold to private equity firm TJC and became part of Acron Aviation

2015

CTC Aviation Group, a commercial pilot training organization based in Southampton, UK, was rebranded as L-3 CTC

2016

Aerosim Flight Academy in Sanford, Florida and Aerosim Technologies in Burnsville, Minnesota were acquired and combined with L-3 CTC to form L3 Commercial Training Solutions, later renamed L3 Airline Academy
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation), a checkpoint security and automation enterprise headquartered in Luton, UK
ExMac (Automation), an automated material handling company based in Droitwich, UK

2017

Open Water Power, a battery technology startup from Somerville, Massachusetts spun out of MIT, developed aluminum-water batteries delivering a tenfold increase in endurance for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs)
Ocean-Server Technology, situated in Fall River, Massachusetts, specialized in lithium-ion battery systems, sensors, and robotic mini-sub UUV products
ASV Global, headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana with offices worldwide including Portchester, focused on Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs) serving commercial and defense markets

2018

In October 2018, L3 announced an all-stock "merger of equals" with Harris Corporation of Florida to strengthen market position and broaden global reach. The merger was finalized on June 29, 2019, resulting in the formation of L3Harris Technologies, Inc., headquartered in Melbourne, Florida

Business organization

By 2017, L3 operated through four primary business units:

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, who co-founded the company and served as CEO, passed away in 2006. Following his death, CFO Michael T. Strianese assumed the role of interim CEO and was later appointed chairman, president, and CEO within the same year. In 2015, Christopher E. Kubasik, formerly of Lockheed Martin, joined as president and COO while Strianese continued as chairman and CEO. On July 19, 2017, Strianese announced his decision to retire as CEO effective December 31, 2017. Kubasik succeeded him as CEO and president starting January 1, 2018, with Strianese maintaining his position as board chairman.

Naming

The company was initially known as L-3 Communications, a name derived from its founders Frank Lanza, Robert LaPenta, and Lehman Brothers. It has no affiliation with Level 3 Communications despite sharing the "L3" abbreviation. On December 31, 2016, the firm rebranded from L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. to L3 Technologies, Inc., signaling a shift toward a more diversified business approach since its establishment in 1997. Concurrently, the corporate website transitioned to L3T.com while the NYSE ticker symbol LLL remained unchanged.

Products

L-3 ProVision – millimeter wave technology for passenger screening at airports
L-3 eXaminer SX, 3DX, and XLB – baggage scanning solutions used in airport security
L-3 OptEX – trace explosive detection system
AVCATT – mobile simulator for aviation training
Orchid – comprehensive development and simulation platform (Power, Marine sectors)
EOTech – manufacturer of holographic weapon sights
L-3 Sonoma EO – electro-optical imaging systems including models such as 1508M Dragon Eyes, 1205MD, 2111X, 2514X, and 2711G
OMNI – encryption device enabling secure voice and data transmission over analog phones or modem-linked computers; available in "Standard" (56 kbit/s) and "OMNIxi" (15 Mbit/s) versions

Federal contract suspension

In 2010, the United States Air Force suspended L3’s Special Support Programs Division from federal contracting after a Department of Defense inquiry uncovered misuse of a classified government computer network to collect competitive business intelligence. The suspension was rescinded following the conclusion of a federal criminal investigation on July 27, 2010.

Counterfeit parts

On November 4, 2010, L3 initiated a parts recall to remove counterfeit components originating from China but did not notify customers whose display systems were experiencing abnormally high failure rates.

EOTech defective holographic sights lawsuit

In 2015, L3 Technologies agreed to pay $25.6 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Government concerning defective optics supplied to military personnel. The suit alleged that L3 knowingly distributed holographic weapon sights that malfunctioned under extreme temperature fluctuations and high humidity conditions encountered by infantry and special operations forces deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The civil fraud case was filed by Preet Bharara in the Southern District of New York and asserted that since 2006 L3 had been aware of a thermal drift defect causing shifts in point-of-aim during temperature extremes. The FBI independently verified these defects in March 2015. Although EOTech marketed its sights as operable between -40°F and 140°F and suitable for humid environments, it only disclosed the flaw to the Department of Defense after FBI confirmation.

External links