L-3 Communications earns U.S. Defense Department honor

L-3 Communications' facility in Santa Rosa received a top award from the U.S. Defense Department for its security practices.

The L-3 Wescam Sonoma Operations facility, which employs about 200 workers, is one of 26 recipients of this year's James S. Cogswell Award from a field of 13,000 defense contractors. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the Defense Department to companies that safely handle classified information.

"Security continues to be critically important in protecting our warfighters and the security of our nation, and it is gratifying to know that L-3's leadership in this area achieves the highest industry standards possible," Vincent L. Jarvie, L-3's vice president of corporate security, said in a statement.

The Santa Rosa facility makes high-tech observation systems for military surveillance and reconnaissance. It was created in 2005 when L-3 acquired Sonoma Design Group and merged its Wescam unit in Healdsburg into the Santa Rosa business.