CLARIFICATION on electrical power management copy in BW5098-2/26, MI-SMITHS-AEROSPACE.

Business Editors

CLARIFICATION by...Smiths Aerospace

SOUTHAMPTON, UK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 2003

Clarification on the following electrical power management copy issued Feb. 26:

Electrical Power Management System: The electrical power management system will provide the battery and primary and secondary electrical distribution systems throughout the aircraft.

Full release to follow:

Smiths Secure $90M Opportunity for F-35 JSF Integrated Canopy Frame

SOUTHAMPTON, UK - Feb. 26, 2003 - Hamble Structures, a part of Smiths Aerospace, has been selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to supply the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter integrated canopy frame assembly. The contract is potentially valued in excess of $90 million over the life of the programme. Delivery of the first canopy frame assembly is planned for early 2004, with Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) commencing in 2006 followed by full-rate production of the aircraft beginning in 2012 continuing through until 2026, and will be manufactured at Hamble Structures, located in Southampton, England.

"Smiths builds on Hamble's solid reputation as a supplier of complete canopy systems for the military aircraft market," comments Dr. John Ferrie, Smiths Aerospace Group Managing Director. "Hamble Structures will draw on their expertise in both precision machining and manufacturing in non-metallic materials and will play a key role in the JSF programme."

This extends the range of contracts on the F-35 JSF that Smiths have already secured and are expected to bring in new business valued in excess of $10 billion over the lifetime of the aircraft.

Key F-35 JSF systems from Smiths now include:

-- integrated canopy frame assembly (Hamble, Southampton UK)

-- electrical power management (Cheltenham UK)

-- weapons control and data electronics (Michigan, Maryland and Florida)

-- actuation systems and components included in the engine structure and other parts of the airplane (New Jersey, Indiana, Washington and Wolverhampton UK)

Notes to editors follow.

About the F-35 JSF: The F-35 JSF is the single most important new military aircraft to be produced over the next 30 years. The JSF market consists of 3,002 aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Up to an additional 3,000 aircraft are expected to be sold for export.

About Smiths: Smiths Aerospace is the leading transatlantic aerospace equipment company, with 12,000 staff and $2 billion revenue split equally between Europe and North America. Smiths Aerospace holds key positions in the supply chains on all major military and civil aircraft and engine manufacturers supplying integrated solutions. Strategically organized businesses focus on systems in electronics, actuation, detection, security, and marine, as well as precision components and customer services.

About Smiths F-35 systems

Integrated Canopy Assembly: The canopy frame assembly is being manufactured for the development & demonstration / production phases for all variants of the F-35 program. Hamble currently supplies complete canopy systems and in-frame windscreens for the Hawk, T45 Goshawk and Harrier I. The transparency for the Tornado is also manufactured at Hamble to a fully trimmed stage. Additionally they provide a full Repair & Overhaul and Spares facility to support these programs.

Electrical Power Management System: The electrical power management system will provide the battery and primary and secondary electrical distribution systems throughout the aircraft.

Tactical Data Electronics: The JSF tactical data equipment will provide the aircraft with a high performance airborne video recorder and network file server. It includes both permanent and removable mass data storage.

Weapons Control: The fuselage remote interface units will provide the total interface between the avionics and all weaponry carried in the JSF weapons bay. The units supply the distribution of GPS signals to weapons, as well as performing the weapons arming, release and emergency jettison functions. The remote input / output sub-system will provide analog, digital and discrete data concentration onto a high-speed digital avionics bus.

Engine Rings: The exhaust containment ring for to JSF provides the interface of the power plant to exhaust nozzle and the sync rings control flap and seal actuation for the afterburn.

Actuation Systems: JSF actuation systems include the 3 bearing swivel duct actuation system at the rear of the aircraft and the variable area nozzle and inlet guide vanes, which control airflow through the forward lift fan on the short-takeoff/vertical landing F-35. The bomb rack power module supplied is a high-pressure pneumatic manifold and bottle storage device helping to manage the pneumatic discharge system of the weapons delivery. A pneumatic reversible, in-flight locking actuator is also included.