Communications & Power Industries Inc. (CPI) has received two defense contract awards totaling up to $13.5 million, including a $9.7 million award to support a radar system and a $3.8 million award to support an airborne-towed decoy system. Work on both contracts will be performed at CPI's Microwave Power Products Division in Palo Alto, Calif.

The contract was granted by the U.S. Air Force for the repair and replacement of hybrid traveling wave tube and klystron, or twystron, technology in support of a high-power radio frequency amplifier for the TPS-75 radar system.

The twystron is a high-power, hybrid microwave tube, combining the input section of a high-power klystron with the output section of a traveling wave tube (TWT) and exhibits high operating efficiency and wide bandwidth. Under the terms of the contract, CPI will provide repair services for up to 150 twystrons for the TPS-75 radar system over a five year period. The firm, fixed-price contract was awarded to CPI by the 84th Combat Sustainment Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

CPI's twystron is a critical element of the TPS-75 radar system, which is the backbone of the U.S. Air Force's air defense system. This system is a mobile, tactical radar system capable of providing azimuth, range, height and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) information for an area of nautical miles. This transportable radar system provides long-range radar data to support operations and control of tactical aircraft and presents real-time radar airspace pictures and data via radio, microwave relay or satellite communications link.

The $3.8 million contract award is for the production of traveling wave tubes to be used in the ALE-50 towed decoy system. This contract was awarded by Raytheon's electronic warfare systems organization in Goleta, Calif. The ALE-50 system has played a key role in aircraft self-protection for several military conflicts and is currently operational on F-16, B-1B and F/A-18 aircraft. CPI has been producing TWTs for the system since 1992. The production contract calls for the delivery of TWTs through September 2008.

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