Harris Corporation/BAE SYSTEMS Team Completes Successful Interoperability Testing of Tactical Common Data Link.

Business Editors/High Tech Writers

MELBOURNE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 2001

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) and teammate BAE SYSTEMS, Wayne, New Jersey, representing a world-leading partnership in the development of wideband Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) solutions, recently completed a series of successful tests of their co-developed system. TCDL is a family of wideband, interoperable, digital data links that transmit wideband reconnaissance data gathered from sensors onboard unmanned and manned aircraft to shipboard and ground-based terminals for battlespace tactical analysis and other applications.

The tests confirmed that the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL system operates with legacy Common Data Link (CDL) equipment. The tests were performed with witnesses from the U.S. Air Force Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

"The Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL Team worked closely with the military to complete this testing and ensure TCDL's interoperability with legacy systems," said Bob Henry, president, Harris Government Communications Systems Division (GCSD). "These successful tests continue to validate our design, and represent another key step toward offering effective TCDL solutions to our customers."

In June 2000, the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL equipment was validated against the U.S. Air Force's Portable Ground Support Equipment (PGSE) at the L3 Comm facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The PGSE supports fielded CDL equipment for the Air Force's U2 program. In October 2000, the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL was validated against the U.S. Army's Modular Interoperable Surface Terminal (MIST) at Hanscom Air Force Base outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Then, in December 2000, the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL was validated against the U.S. Navy's Common High Bandwidth Data Link (CHBDL) terminal at Fallon Naval Air Station outside of Reno, Nevada. This Navy test included flying the TCDL equipment aboard a helicopter while the CHBDL continuously tracked it during extensive maneuvers.

The TCDL validation against fielded equipment from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force culminates three years of focused activity to develop the 10.71 megabit, Ku-band data link, which is already specified for use in several military initiatives. These initiatives include the U.S. Navy LAMPS helicopter Hawklink, VTUAV, and Extending of the Littoral Battlefield (ELB) exercise; the U.S. Army TUAV; and the U.S. Air Force Predator.

TCDL provides air-to-surface transmission of radar, imagery, video, and other sensor information at a range of up to 200 kilometers. The TCDL system also will provide a family of digital links that are flexible, expandable, scalable and modular. Harris and BAE SYSTEMS comprise one of only two teams certified to provide TCDL communications equipment to the U.S. Government and select international customers.

Harris GCSD conducts advanced research studies, develops prototypes, and produces advanced airborne, spaceborne, and terrestrial communications and information processing systems for military and government agencies, their prime contractors, commercial organizations, and the company's commercial businesses.

Harris Corporation is an international communications company focused on providing product, system and service solutions that take its customers to the next level. The company provides a wide range of products and services for wireless, broadcast, network support, and government markets. Harris has sales and service facilities in over 90 countries. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

BAE SYSTEMS North America employs 22,000 people in the design, development, integration, manufacture and support of a wide range of advanced aerospace products and intelligent electronic systems for government and commercial customers, including leading edge tactical wideband networking radios for information dominance in today's battlefield.

BAE SYSTEMS is the truly global systems, defense and aerospace company. With more than 100,000 employees in eight home markets around the world, BAE SYSTEMS has annual sales of more than $18 billion. The company offers an unrivalled global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills. Further information about BAE SYSTEMS is available at www.baesystems.com.