U.S. AIR FORCE AWARDS HARRIS CORPORATION/BAE SYSTEMS $2.5 MIL CONTRACT FOR RISK REDUCTION OF TACTICAL COMMON DATA LINK.

Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS) and BAE SYSTEMS, Inc., representing a world-leading partnership in the development of wideband Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) solutions, recently announced that they have received a $2.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for the risk reduction phase of the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS TCDL. TCDL is a high-bandwidth, air-to-air and surface-to-air, digital data link that transmits and receives command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data between airborne platforms and their associated ground- and ship-based terminals.

"The Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) risk reduction award is a key milestone in our goal of providing a lightweight, low-cost, high-capability data link for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance applications," said Bob Henry, president, Harris Government Communications Systems Division (GCSD). "It is also another step toward generating future business opportunities for the Harris/BAE SYSTEMS team, with the ultimate goal of becoming the Army's preferred TCDL supplier."

The focus of the risk reduction effort is to reduce the size, weight, and power of the TCDL system and integrate it with the U.S. Army's TUAV. Successful risk reduction efforts could result in flight-testing of a TUAV in early 2002. The Harris/BAE SYSTEMS Ku-band link is a true force multiplier, capable of transmitting over distances greater than 200 kilometers at a rate of 10.71 megabits per second, providing deployed military commanders with near real-time reconnaissance data for enhanced battlefield situational awareness.

"We are very enthusiastic about the capabilities of the TCDL product," said Jeff Markel, president, BAE SYSTEMS Communication, Navigation, and Identification, Wayne, New Jersey. "This project will allow us to push the technology forward to accommodate the more restricted size, weight, and power envelopes necessary to bring the TCDL capability to smaller platforms such as the TUAV."

Harris GCSD conducts advanced research studies, develops prototypes, and produces and supports state-of-the-art, highly reliable communications and information systems that solve the mission-critical communications challenges of its military and government customers, as well as provides the technology base for the company's diverse commercial businesses.

Harris Corporation is an international communications equipment 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 more than 90 countries.