Northrop Unveils New Protective Laser
Northrop Grumman Corp. unveiled its newest product, Skyguard, a laser-based air defense system that could provide speed-of-light defense, the El Segundo-based company said. Northrop, the nation’s second-largest defense contractor behind Bethesda, Ma.-based Lockheed Martin Corp., said the system will be used to protect deployed forces, military installations, airports, harbors, or industry targets from missile strikes. According to the company, a single Skyguard system can generate a protective shield of about 10 kilometers in diameter, will likely cost around $150 million to $200 million. Northrop also said that it costs about $1,000 per shot, mainly due to the recurring cost of the chemicals used.
Optical Communication to Acquire GigaComm
Optical Communication Products Inc. said Friday that it has agreed to acquire privately-held GigaComm Corp., a Taiwan-based supplier of passive optical network (PON) fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). Woodland Hills-based Optical Communication, which makes high performance fiber optic subsystems and modules for metropolitan area, local area and storage area networks, will pay $20 in cash for GigaComm, the company said. GigaComm is a leading supplier of FTTH modules in Japan, which is presently the world’s largest FTTH market. The transaction is Optical Communication’s first venture in Asia and is projected to be completed by the end of this summer. The deal is expected to increase Optical Communication’s revenues by approximately 25 percent, the company said.
“GigaComm gives us instant penetration into the Asian market, as well as positioning (Optical Communication) to take advantage of the emerging gigabit passive optical network markets in North America and Europe,” said Chief Executive Muoi V. Tran in a statement. GigaComm will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Optical Communication and continue to operate in Taiwan.
