Press Releases

Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY), a leading provider of embedded real-time digital signal and image processing systems, announced today that it has been selected by Alenia Marconi Systems Limited, Chelmsford, U.K., to supply its RACE++^TM PowerStream^TM MP-510 systems for the European Multifunction Phased Array Radar (EMPAR). EMPAR will be deployed on the next generation of air defense frigates for the French and Italian navies. Orders received, valued at $7.4 million, are for development and production of initial systems. Future orders are anticipated.

Mercury currently has a long-term agreement with Alenia Marconi Systems Limited to provide digital signal processing solutions. Mercury's PowerStream MP-510 systems represent the most advanced and scalable embedded systems in the market. A single PowerStream MP-510 system scales up to 180 "G4" processors in a single chassis and provides more than four times the interprocessor communication bandwidth of conventional RACE++ systems. "The development of EMPAR demonstrates the strength of Alenia Marconi Systems in delivering naval fire-control radar systems," said Jay Bertelli, president and chief executive officer of Mercury Computer Systems. "Alenia Marconi is a world leader in naval systems, and is a leading supplier to many NATO countries. We look forward to working with Alenia Marconi and to shipping our new PowerStream systems, which will provide the robust, mission-critical computing power required by its EMPAR systems." EMPAR is one of the most progressive radar systems in the world, and has been designed to detect and track a variety of targets ranging from surface vessels to large aircraft to stealthy missiles.

The radar performs simultaneous 3D target search and tracking while providing up-link transmissions for the ship's defensive missiles. Speeds of targets being tracked will vary from slow surface targets to air targets travelling at several times the speed of sound. Heights of air targets can vary from high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to sea-skimming missiles only meters above the water's surface. Mercury's RACE++ multicomputers will provide the high-performance, real-time signal processing necessary for the system to analyze and adapt its mode of operation from task to task in order to optimize performance for different scenarios in severe environmental conditions.

Information about Alenia Marconi Systems and EMPAR is available at: http://www.aleniamarconisystems.com/eng_site/home_en.htm