ST. LOUIS -- Kaman Aerospace has awarded about $12 million in contracts to LaBarge Inc. to provide cockpit wiring harnesses for several models of the Black Hawk helicopter.

Production is expected to begin at LaBarge's Joplin, MO, facility in August and continue through December 2010. Follow-on orders are expected, the EMS firm said.

LaBarge already provides electronic assemblies directly to Sikorsky Aircraft for the Black Hawk. LaBarge has supported the program since 2005.

Kaman is a subcontractor to Sikorsky, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., on the Black Hawk program.