BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esterline Corporation (NYSE:ESL) (www.esterline.com), a leading specialty manufacturer serving global aerospace and defense markets, today announced that its Defense Technologies group was recently selected by two prime contractors, American Ordnance and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, to supply critical sub-components for training ammunition on the U.S. Army’s new Day/Night/Thermal (DNT) 40mm grenade program. The multi-year contract is expected to exceed three million training units annually and last at least four years.

Esterline Defense Technologies improved the legacy product design with a payload upgrade for both the 40X46mm low-velocity Mk781 training round for hand-held launchers and the 40X53mm high-velocity Mk918 round fired from crew-served grenade machine guns. The new payload design enhances training realism, improves range safety, and is more environmentally responsible. Its unique signature after impact allows service members to simulate day, night and thermally-imaged tactical engagements. In addition, Esterline’s design significantly reduces the hazard of unexploded ordnance in the field during training exercises.    

Curtis Reusser, Esterline’s Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our extensive experience in energetic defense materials combined with our systems integration expertise will bring better value to the Department of Defense and increased training realism to U.S. and allied warfighters. It’s also an important expansion from our battle-tested heritage in large-caliber ammunition into the adjacent medium-caliber market.”

“Esterline and American Ordnance, a Day & Zimmermann company, have spent three years of dedication and hard work together developing the latest 40mm high-velocity  Day/Night/Thermal project,” said Dan Reynolds, 40mm R&D Program Manager for American Ordnance. “Bringing the next-generation 40mm training round to the Army, equipped with an Esterline-manufactured payload, is something for all Esterline employees to be proud of and we are fortunate to partner with them.”

The contract win is the culmination of a five-year development program. Esterline Defense Technologies completed the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the competition in 2016, delivering more than 15,000 prototype payloads that were rigorously tested at the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Esterline expects to begin low-rate initial production on the contract in late 2018. 

About Esterline:

Esterline Corporation is a leading worldwide supplier to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas: Advanced Materials; Avionics & Controls; and Sensors & Systems. With annual sales of approximately $2 billion, Esterline employs roughly 13,000 people worldwide.

Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus on technologies including high-temperature-resistant materials and components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace purposes, and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure products.

Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on technology interface systems for commercial and military aircraft and similar devices for land- and sea-based military vehicles, cockpit displays and integration systems, flight training and simulation equipment, secure communications systems, specialized medical equipment, and other high-end industrial applications.

The Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision temperature and pressure sensors, specialized harsh-environment connectors, electrical power distribution equipment, and other related systems principally for aerospace and defense customers.

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should” or “will,” or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology.  These forward-looking statements are only predictions based on the current intent and expectations of the management of Esterline, are not guarantees of future performance or actions, and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and may cause Esterline’s or its industry’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.  Esterline’s actual results and the timing and outcome of events may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements due to risks detailed in Esterline’s public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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