Fortress Technologies to Provide Secure Wireless during Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration; Company Participates in Key National and International Communication Exercises.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Fortress Technologies, a leader in secure wireless networking, today announced that it has been selected to provide its secure wireless solutions during the upcoming Coalition Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (CWID) 2006 exercise in Charleston, SC. An annual Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff event, CWID is a statutory requirement for the Department of Defense (DoD) to test existing and emerging communications capabilities. Each year, the DoD conducts formal exercises to assess Information Technology (IT) solutions that have potential uses within its communications infrastructure. The demonstrations provide temporary networks over which leading-edge communications technologies interact in response to scripted scenarios.

The primary goal for the CWID 2006 demonstration in Charleston, SC is to analyze the state's preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season, as well as identify emerging communications technologies to enhance National Guard response capabilities. South Carolina and its National Guard function are deploying a secure, interoperable emergency communications network that has the potential to serve as a model for the rest of the United States and associated National Guard units. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), U.S. Joint Communications Support Element (JCSE), Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR), as well as state emergency management agencies are participating in the exercise.

"Federal, state, and local emergency management organizations, as well as their military counterparts, require the ability to share strategic and tactical information securely during disaster situations," said Colonel Debra A. Rose, CIO/J-6, South Carolina National Guard. "Our goal for the CWID 2006 program is to identify the best technologies to provide this capability. This year's demonstration incorporates several different response agencies and serves as one of the most comprehensive IT exercises in South Carolina to date."

Fortress' Defense Information Systems Agency's (DISA) Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and FIPS 140-2 certified wireless security solutions are being tested as part of the CWID 2006 exercise. These solutions enable the quick establishment of secure communications in environments that have no available infrastructure - providing the dependability and versatility required in emergency response situations. Fortress' products will support the establishment of immediate "on demand" secure voice, video, and data capabilities to simulated disaster areas during this CWID 2006 exercise.

"With the hurricane season quickly approaching, and rumors swirling that it will be more devastating than previous years, the success of this CWID test exercise becomes even more critical," said John Dow, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing, Fortress. "We are confident that our products will exceed expectations during this year's demonstration and prove to be an essential component to rapidly establishing secure communications in a time of crisis."

Fortress is also participating in an international CWID 2006 exercise led by Lucent Technologies - and including other companies such as Northrop Grumman and Juniper Networks - that will evaluate command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) solutions for enhancing Coalition interoperability. Hosted by the United States European Command (USEUCOM), this exercise includes participants from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, as well as several constituent nations from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This portion of CWID 2006 will look to meet the following objectives:

--Coalition Command & Control (C2) - create a cohesive C2 relationship with and between military, Coalition, and non-military activities; improve open and secure mobile C2 capabilities between communities of interests (COIs); streamline operational decision-making for Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) contingencies

--Coalition Information Sharing - multi-level and multi-domain security; improve utility, accuracy, and language capacity of translation tools (French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, and Russian)

--Integrated Logistics - develop the ability to assess and display information on the movement, location, and status of U.S. and Coalition partners' equipment and personnel en route and/or deployed; improve logistics data access, fusion, and integration among COIs

--Continuity of Operations - enhance Commander's ability to rapidly deploy a joint force headquarters

--Net-Centric Enterprise Services - improve information assurance; improve horizontal data access, fusion, and integration; improve vertical and horizontal information distribution

"The international portion of CWID 2006 represents a major step forward in the military's evaluation/adoption of deployable networking in operational environments," said Dow. "Coalition interoperability is a clear factor in ensuring the security of our assets here and abroad."

About Fortress Technologies

Fortress Technologies provides market leading solutions that help government and commercial customers worldwide implement wireless technologies confidently, securely and simply. Rigorously tested and proven for high security assurance, Fortress' interoperable solutions protect all wireless transports including Wi-Fi (802.11), WiMAX (802.16), free space optics (FSO), Military RF and satellite. Securing over 12,000 wireless government networks, Fortress specializes in deployable networking, mobile edge applications, fixed wireless and office wireless LANs. Fortress has won numerous awards including Federal Computer Week's "10 Hot Companies to Watch," Venture Reporter's "20 Venture-backed Wireless Firms Most Likely to Succeed" and SC Magazine's "Reader's Trust Award" two years in a row.

For more information, visit www.fortresstech.com or call 813-288-7388.