LaBarge, Inc. (NYSE Amex: LB), a provider of electronics manufacturing services (EMS), has been awarded a contract valued at $1.3 million from Kaman Aerospace Corporation to provide cockpit wiring harnesses for the S-70i™ BLACK HAWK military helicopter, the international variant of the BLACK HAWK helicopter. Kaman is a subcontractor to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), on the BLACK HAWK helicopter program.

The S-70i BLACK HAWK helicopter is the first BLACK HAWK aircraft designed specifically for international customers, and is the first BLACK HAWK helicopter to be assembled in Europe. The S-70i BLACK HAWK helicopter incorporates the latest technology with advanced features such as a fully integrated digital cockpit with a dual digital automatic flight control system and coupled flight director. It is expected to complete production flight testing by the end of the year.

Production on the new contract has begun at LaBarge's Joplin, Mo., facility and is expected to continue through February 2012. LaBarge is a Sikorsky/United Technologies Corp. gold supplier and has supported the BLACK HAWK program since 2005.