L-3 Communications, Electrodynamics, Inc.

The history of L3 Electrodynamics, Inc. (L3 EDI) evolved from the birth of precision watch making dating back to the craft and trade guilds of the Renaissance. From its beginnings as the Elgin National Watch Company and through a variety of names and acquisitions, L3 EDI has maintained precision manufacturing techniques and has manufactured products that represent the leading edge of quality.

The Elgin National Watch Company
The Elgin National Watch Company was founded in 1864 in Elgin, Illinois as the National Watch Company, and some of the organizers were later to become some of the biggest names in the American watch industry. Also known as the Elgin Watch Company, the company was the largest American watch manufacturer in terms of total production volume. Elgin produced approximately one-half of the better-quality pocket watches manufactured in the United States. Total production over its 100 years of operation reached 60 million watches.

The Evolution of the Modern Ordnance Industry
With the coming of World War II, Elgin and its competitors, such as the Bulova Watch Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the Gruen Watch Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, were asked b...