BRIGHTON, England, 25 Feb. 2015.Saab Aeronautics officials in Stockholm, Sweden, have selected Exelis (NYSE:XLS), with headquarters in McLean, Va., to develop, supply, and support Pneumatic Missile Eject Launcher pylons (PMEL) for use on Saab’s next-generation Gripen E multirole fighter aircraft.
The PMEL will enable powered ejection of the Meteor and AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) from the fuselage underside.
“This is a great opportunity for us to build on Exelis weapon carriage and release experience and continue to grow in the air-to-air missile eject market,” says Ken Harrison, vice president and general manager of International Night Vision and Communications Solutions.
The agreement is long-term, covering the entire operational life of the Gripen E, and includes follow-on and upgrades to the system. The agreement signature released an immediate contract for the design and development phase, which will culminate in the delivery and supply of several flight trial units.
The initial production contract is for the supply of 214 PMELs. All work will take place at the Exelis facility in Brighton, England.
Exelis provides positioning and navigation, sensors, air traffic management solutions, image processing and distribution, communications, and information systems; and is focused on strategic growth in the areas of critical networks, ISR and analytics, electronic warfare, and composite aerostructures.
