AAI's ESL Defence Sells 500th Baringa Missile Warning System Test Set

• Increased System Maturity Over Time Enables Greater Capability, Flexibility

(Hunt Valley, Md., November 10, 2009) -- AAI Corporation, an operating unit of Textron Systems, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that its United Kingdom (U.K.) based strategic business ESL Defence Ltd. has sold its 500th Baringa Missile Warning System Test Set. This milestone occurred with a sale to the U.K. Ministry of Defence - also the first customer to purchase a Baringa - which utilizes the Baringa system to support its operations worldwide. Baringa test sets are used in more than 15 countries including the U.S., U.K., Australia, India, France, Germany, Italy and Turkey.

"The Baringa is a highly reliable piece of equipment that can stimulate multiple types of missile warning systems," says ESL Managing Director Bob Fox. "It is used for pre-flight confidence testing, depot-level maintenance, and product acceptance and systems integration laboratory testing. Each design iteration has given the Baringa additional capabilities that benefit the operator."


Baringa is a handheld unit that accurately simulates missile plume signatures to stimulate aircraft missile warning systems while in operational mode, allowing air crews to perform thorough go/no-go missile warning system testing. Baringa variants are available to accommodate multiple requirements including ultraviolet and infrared missile warner testing, as well as sensitivity measurement.

"Having confidence that missile warning systems are fully operational before heading into harm's way is invaluable for air crews," notes Fox.

Source : Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT)