<PAGE>

                                                                      EXHIBIT 11


                             WHITTAKER CORPORATION

                       CALCULATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               Year Ended October 31,                 
                                                     -----------------------------------------        
                                                       1996            1995             1994         
                                                     --------        --------         --------       
<S>                                                  <C>             <C>             <C>             
PRIMARY EARNINGS PER SHARE                                                                           
                                                                                                     
EARNINGS ($ IN 000)   
                                                                                                     
Income (Loss)...................................     ($17,127)        $7,865         $10,061         
                                                                                                     
Deduct:                                                                                              
        Dividends on $5.00 Cumulative                                                                
                Convertible Preferred Stock.....            -             (4)            (12)        
                                                     --------        -------         -------        
                                                                                                     
Net income (loss) used in primary earnings                                                           
        per share calculations..................     ($17,127)        $7,861         $10,049         
                                                     ========        =======         =======

AVERAGE COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT SHARES (IN 000)

Weighted average number of common
        shares outstanding......................       10,065          8,531           8,481

Common equivalent shares:
        Series D Participating Convertible
                Preferred Stock.................            -            292             292

        Stock options included under
                treasury stock method...........            -            802             729 
                                                     --------        -------         -------

Total...........................................       10,065          9,625           9,502
                                                     ========        =======         =======


Primary Earnings (Loss) Per Share...............       ($1.70)         $0.82           $1.06
                                                     ========         ======         =======
</TABLE>
<PAGE>


                             WHITTAKER CORPORATION

                CALCULATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE  (Continued)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                    Year Ended October 31,                
                                                          ----------------------------------------               
                                                            1996            1995            1994              
                                                          --------        --------        --------              
<S>                                                       <C>             <C>             <C>                   
FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE                                                                                
                                                                                                                
EARNINGS ($ IN 000)                                                                                             
                                                                                                                
Net income used in primary earnings                                                                             
        per share calculations..................          ($17,127)        $7,861         $10,049               
                                                                                                                
Adjustments:                                                     -              -               -                     
                                                                                                                
Net income (loss) used in fully diluted                                                                         
        earnings per share calculations.........          ($17,127)        $7,861         $10,049               
                                                          ========         ======         =======              
                                                                                                                
AVERAGE SHARES USED TO CALCULATE FULLY DILUTED                                                                  
        EARNINGS PRE SHARE (IN 000)                                                                             
                                                                                                                
Average common and common equivalent                                                                            
        shares, above...........................            10,065          9,625           9,502               
                                                                                                                
Add:                                                                                                            
        Additional stock options included under                                                                 
                treasury stock method...........                 -              -              88               
                                                          --------         ------         -------
Total...........................................            10,065          9,625           9,590               
                                                          ========         ======         =======              
                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                
Fully Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share.........            ($1.70)         $0.82           $1.05               
                                                          ========         ======         =======              

</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                            WHITTAKER CORPORATION 

                 CALCULATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE (Continued)



NOTES

Earnings per share nave been computed based on the weighted average number of
common and common equivalent shares outstanding during the periods, after
deducting from net income for 1995 and 1994 the the dividend requirements on the
then outstanding $5.00 Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock. Common stock
equivalents include Series D Participating Preferred Stock and dilutive employee
stock options calculated using the treasury stock method. For 1994 fully diluted
earnings per share include the additional potential dilutive effect of employee
stock options.

Common equivalent shares have been excluded from the 1996 calculations and
additional shares assuming conversion of subordinated convertible debt have been
excluded from the 1996 and 1995 calculations as inclusion of such shares would
have been antidilutive.