Nov 2 2007
United Industrial Corporation announced today that its AAI Corporation subsidiary has been awarded a $4.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) for additional Advanced Boresight Equipment (ABE) systems.
The order calls for AAI to provide ten Model 310A common boresight systems to support the following AFSOC platforms: AC-130H Spectre, AC-130U Spooky, MC- 130E Combat Talon I, MC-130H Combat Talon II, MC-130W, and MC-130P Combat Shadow.
The new order is the second system purchased to align the AC-130 H Spectre. The first award was received in April 2007.
"This award brings to nine the number of U.S. Air Force aircraft that utilize our ABE system," said Ed Buffington, vice president of AAI's Test Systems. "We've already delivered boresight systems for this customer's F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters, C-17 Globemaster III heavylifters, and C- 130 Avionics Modernization Program platforms, and now we'll provide the boresight system for all the C-130 aircraft that play a vital role in AFSOC operations."
ABE is a gyro-stabilized, electro-optical system that provides alignment accuracy of weapons and sensor systems for aircraft while reducing maintenance time and costs.
AAI has been a global leader in boresight system technologies over the past several years. The company's ABE system has been chosen by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marines, U.S. Air Force, and allied armed forces to align weapon and sensor systems on 18 types of aircraft.