Benthos Announces Promotions.

NORTH FALMOUTH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 1999--Benthos, Inc. (NASDAQ:BTHS) announced today the promotion of Robert A. Catalano and Kevin J. McCarthy into two newly created vice presidential positions.

Mr. Catalano (age 44) has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. In this capacity, he will assume overall functional responsibility for all Benthos manufacturing operations which includes both its Undersea Systems and TapTone Container Inspection Systems divisions. Catalano will oversee production and inventory control, master scheduling, materials management, facilities management and manufacturing engineering. He will also maintain overall business development responsibility for the Company's geophysical hydrophone products. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Catalano was the product line manager for Benthos' acoustic and hydrophone product groups. He has been with Benthos for 12 years and holds a BS degree in Geology from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Mr. McCarthy (age 45) has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Undersea Systems Division of Benthos. Accordingly, he now assumes primary functional responsibility for all aspects of sales and marketing of the Company's undersea products. This includes selection and training of sales representatives and agents, marketing communications strategy, management of customer service, product management, pricing and distribution policies, international sales support, and future business development. Prior to this appointment, Mr. McCarthy was the product line manager for Benthos' imaging and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) product groups. He has been with the Company for 13 years and holds a BS degree in Biology from Northeastern University as well as an MBA from Suffolk University.

On making today's announcement, Benthos President and CEO John L. Coughlin said, "Both Robert Catalano and Kevin McCarthy have been highly instrumental in our success over the past three years. These new positions reflect their ongoing contributions and strengthen our management structure."

Benthos, Inc., through its Undersea Systems Division, designs, manufactures, sells and services oceanographic and robotic equipment for undersea exploration and research; and through its TapTone Container Inspection Division markets systems for testing consumer packages made of glass, metal or plastic. The common stock of the Company is traded on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market under the symbol BTHS. For further information, visit the Company's web site at www.benthos.com.

The statements in this news release and in oral statements which may be made by representatives of the Company relating to plans, strategies, economic performance and trends and other statements that are not descriptions of historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal Securities Laws. Forward-looking information is inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include: the timing of large project orders, competitive factors, shifts in customer demand, government spending, economic cycles, availability of financing as well as the factors described in this news release. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcomes may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected or intended.