TSA Initiates Pilot Testing of AS&E's Privacy Enhanced SmartCheck(TM) System at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona.

BILLERICA, Mass. -- American Science and Engineering, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASEI) (AS&E([R])), a leader in X-ray detection technology, announced today that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin pilot testing its privacy enhanced SmartCheck([TM])personnel screening system today at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona. SmartCheck provides optimum security by safely screening for a wide variety of threats concealed on a passenger, while ensuring their privacy. The SmartCheck system creates an image that looks like a chalk outline of the passenger with threats and contraband outlined, but does not reveal facial features. Additionally, the SmartCheck system installed in Phoenix cannot store, export, print, or transmit images.

"We are pleased that TSA will begin operating AS&E's privacy enhanced SmartCheck system today in Phoenix, Arizona," said Robert Postle, AS&E's Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Sales. "SmartCheck provides TSA with the most comprehensive personnel screening technology available for detecting plastic and liquid explosives, weapons, and other contraband while ensuring privacy. TSA is implementing a screening protocol that delivers maximum threat detection while maintaining the privacy of the traveling public. The voluntary screening process is safe, non-intrusive, easy, and effective. We are very proud to assist TSA in their critical mission to safeguard air travel."

About Privacy Enhanced SmartCheck

SmartCheck is a safe, non-intrusive personnel screening system that allows operators to detect threats and contraband hidden on a person while ensuring privacy. AS&E's patented Z([R]) Backscatter([TM]) X-ray technology displays both organic and inorganic materials, revealing objects such as guns and knives, explosives, composite weapons, and other hidden threats and contraband. The software provides a sketch outline of the passenger with information for the security operator to identify the nature and location of threats, thus eliminating the need for intrusive and time-consuming pat-down searches. The system creates only the privacy enhanced image. For added privacy, the system is not capable of storing, exporting, printing, or transmitting images. All images are automatically deleted from the system immediately after they are reviewed by the operator who will be located in a remote, secure area away from the screening process.

About SmartCheck's Z Backscatter X-Ray Technology

Z([R]) Backscatter([TM]) X-ray technology displays threats by reflecting a low-energy X-ray beam from a person to a detector on the near side. AS&E's SmartCheck system utilizes this patented technology based on the X-ray Compton Scattering effect. Z Backscatter works by detecting and outlining "low Z" materials (items that contain low atomic number elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen). Low Z materials include plastic and liquid explosives, plastic weapons, and drugs. SmartCheck also recognizes the lack of scattering that occurs when "high Z" materials are placed against the body. These "high Z" materials, such as metal weapons and bomb-detonating wires are also outlined on the person being scanned. Thus the system is able to display all organic and metallic threats and contraband anywhere on a person's body.

Voluntary Screening

SmartCheck scan is a voluntary option for passengers undergoing secondary screening as an alternative to the physical pat down procedures currently conducted by Transportation Security Officers at the security screening checkpoint.

Safe for All Screened Individuals and Operators

Since the SmartCheck system uses Z([R]) Backscatter([TM]) X-ray technology, it is safe for both operators and scanned individuals, with the radiation dose from a single scan equivalent to the radiation received from two minutes of airplane flight at altitude, or less than 10 microrem (0.1 microsieverts) per scan. SmartCheck meets the manufacturer's requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard N43.17, which is the standard that the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) references for systems such as SmartCheck.

For more information on SmartCheck personnel screening system and privacy, please visit www.as-e.com and www.tsa.gov.

About AS&E([R])

American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) is the leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray inspection and screening systems. With more than 45 years of experience in developing advanced X-ray security systems, the Company's product line utilizes a variety of technologies, including patented Z([R]) Backscatter[TM], Shaped Energy[TM] and Radioactive Threat Detection (RTD). These technologies offer superior detection of threats including plastic explosives, plastic weapons, illegal drugs, other contraband, dirty bombs and nuclear devices. AS&E offers a complete range of X-ray inspection products including Z Backscatter screening systems, CargoSearch[TM], and ParcelSearch[TM] inspection systems, used for critical detection and security applications to combat terrorism, drug and weapon smuggling, trade fraud, and illegal immigration. AS&E customers include leading governmental agencies, border authorities, military bases, airports and corporations worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Royal Thai Police, HM Revenue & Customs (U.K.) and Hong Kong Customs. For more information on AS&E products and technologies, please visit www.as-e.com.

Safe Harbor Statement. The foregoing press release contains statements concerning AS&E's financial performance, markets and business operations that may be considered "forward-looking" under applicable securities laws. AS&E wishes to caution readers of this press release that actual results might differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein include the following: significant reductions or delays in procurements of the Company's systems by the United States and other governments; disruption in the supply of any source component incorporated into AS&E's products; litigation seeking to restrict the use of intellectual property used by the Company; potential product liability claims against the Company; global political trends and events which affect public perception of the threat presented by drugs, explosives and other contraband; global economic developments and the ability of governments and private organizations to fund purchases of the Company's products to address such threats; and the potential insufficiency of Company resources, including human resources, capital, plant and equipment and management systems, to accommodate any future growth, and future delays in federal funding. These and certain other factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected are detailed from time to time in AS&E's periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. AS&E undertakes no obligation to update forward looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes in future operating results, financial condition or business over time.