DRS Defense Solutions to Provide Cargo Handling and Aerial Delivery Systems for Embraer KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft

BETHESDA, MD., MARCH 22, 2011 – DRS Defense Solutions announced that it has been awarded a contract by Embraer S.A., located in São José dos Campos, São Paolo, Brazil, for the design, development, testing, production, and after-market support of the KC-390 Cargo Handling and Aerial Delivery System (CHS/ADS).

Work will be performed by DRS Training & Control Systems in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Embraer was awarded the KC-390 design and development contract by the Brazilian Air Force in April 2009. The KC-390 is a fixed-wing transport aircraft under development for the Brazilian Air Force launch customer and targeted customers around the world. As a medium- to heavy-class military transport aircraft, the KC-390 will perform troop and cargo transport, aerial delivery, in-flight refueling and medical evacuations. The KC-390 CHS/ADS is one of the five major aircraft subsystems.

The KC-390 CHS/ADS will be integral to the aircraft cabin for transporting palletized cargo and rolling stock onboard the aircraft as well as performing various aerial delivery missions involving parachute extraction of cargo. The CHS/ADS will be comprised of an electrical pallet locking system, electronic load master control subsystem involving DO178 level A software certification, retractable guide-rails, invertible cargo rollers, tie-down devices, and other system components integrated into purpose-designed structural floor panels custom configured to meet stringent weight limitations.

“We are very pleased to win a position on the KC-390 program and enter into a strategic partnership with Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force for this new aircraft,” states Richard Danforth, president and CEO of DRS Defense Solutions.

Edwin R. “Robbie” Epstein, president of DRS Training & Control Systems, adds, “The KC-390 program is a welcomed addition to our 50-year legacy of producing military cargo handling and aerial delivery systems, onboard aircraft systems, and defense electronics. We look forward to a successful development phase and seamless transition to production, leveraging our combined in house capabilities to deliver a state-of-the-art system backed by long-term product support.”

“Establishing Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force as customers for the KC-390 program creates a solid presence for our company in the growing Brazilian Defense market,” notes Howard Hudson, vice president of business development and program capture manager.

Embraer, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, is headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paolo, Brazil and employs more than 17,000 people engaged in design, development, manufacturing and sales of aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments.

DRS Defense Solutions, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DRS Technologies, Inc, is headquartered in Bethesda, MD. DRS Defense Solutions provides world-class products, services and systems integration in the areas of intelligence and sensor technologies, security, cyber, sonar, communications, electronic warfare, training systems, satellite communications, avionics, control systems and unmanned technologies. DRS Technologies, headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, is a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors worldwide, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica S.p.A. (FNC.MI) which employs more than 75,000 people worldwide.

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