ALPHA INDUSTRIES, INC. Announces GaAs HBT RFIC Technology Alliance.

WOBURN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 1999--ALPHA INDUSTRIES, INC. (NASDAQ:AHAA) today announced that it has formed an alliance to develop and manufacture GaAs HBT integrated circuits for high-volume, commercial applications, including wireless telephony. GaAs HBT offers the best available performance for wireless applications where linearity is critical, such as CDMA and third generation (3G) wireless telephony. Alpha is a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency gallium arsenide (GaAs) radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) for a wide range of wireless applications.

Alpha has teamed with Infinesse Corporation, a leading independent developer of GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) integrated circuits, and with Network Device, Inc., a new GaAs foundry with special expertise in the fabrication of GaAs HBT devices. Infinesse is based in Los Angeles and brings over 150 man-years of RF and HBT related technical experience to the design and processing of these leading-edge chips. The Network Device team, based in Sunnyvale, California, brings extensive experience in GaAs foundry work to its new, high-performance, state-of-the-art GaAs HBT fab operation.

David Aldrich, Vice President and General manager of Alpha's high volume Wireless Semiconductor division, stated, "Alpha has made a major commitment to HBT. We intend to work with our partners to bring HBT products, including power amplifiers, to market as rapidly as possible, and we expect to have our first HBT products ready for market this summer. As we work with Infinesse and Network Device on the design and manufacture of new HBT products, we also plan to bring HBT process technologies into our GaAs fab as an additional source for high-volume production. HBT technology will complement our existing strength in GaAs PHEMT and GaAs MESFET, giving our customers the full range of GaAs processes, for the best performance in a wide range of applications.

"This is the first of the technology alliances that Alpha has been working to develop, and we are extremely pleased to be working with the highly capable people at Infinesse and Network Device."

Dr. Ding Day, President and CEO of Network Device, stated, "We are very pleased to have been selected as the process technology partner and foundry provider to Alpha and Infinesse. As a new independent open foundry, we are excited about the opportunities both to support Alpha's HBT foundry needs and to second source Alpha's high-volume FET and PHEMT processes."

Alpha Industries designs and manufactures a broad range of products for microwave and radio frequency wireless communications applications. The Wireless Semiconductor sector provides gallium arsenide (GaAs) integrated circuits and other semiconductors to the dynamic global market for wireless telephone handsets. The Application Specific Products (ASP) sector provides a broad range of GaAs and silicon devices to satellite, instrumentation, defense and other communications markets. The Ceramic Products sector provides technical ceramic products for wireless telephony infrastructure and other wireless markets. Additional information is available at Alpha's Website - www.alphaind.com.

Safe Harbor Statement - Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that constitute the Company's current intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectation or predictions of the future which are, therefore, inherently subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include discussions relating to our planned introduction of HBT products and the expected contributions to the Company's business of the HBT technology alliance. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the Company's forward-looking statements based on various factors, including without limitation: cancellation or deferral of customer orders, dependence on a small number of large customers, difficulties in the timely development and market acceptance of new products, market developments that vary from the current public expectations concerning the growth of wireless communications, difficulties in manufacturing new or existing products in sufficient quantity or quality, increased competitive pressures, decreasing selling prices for the Company's products, or changes in economic conditions. Further information on factors that could affect the Company's performance is included in the Company's periodic reports filed with the SEC, including but not limited to the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended March 29, 1998, and subsequent Forms 10-Q. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstance on which any such statement is based.