Wescam announces $3.7 million surveillance contracts.

FLAMBOROUGH, ONTARIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 15, 1997--Wescam Inc. (TSE WSC.) WESCAM today announced two contracts for its Public Safety & Surveillance Division amounting to a value of $3.7 million. The first contract, awarded by Bell Helicopter Textron, Canada, is to provide a further eight WESCAM(TM) AN/AAQ-501 aerial camera systems for the Canadian Forces Utility Tactical Transport Helicopter program. This is over and above the original contract order of 20 systems, the final numbers of which were delivered in fiscal 1996. Based on the WESCAM(TM) Model 16 product line, this "commercial off-the-shelf" system is renowned for its high precision stabilization capability used for night time surveillance requirements.

The second contract is to provide a long range surveillance system to an undisclosed government agency.

Mark Chamberlain, WESCAM's President and Chief Executive Officer, commented that these two contracts, with final purchase orders now in place, were two of a number of government-related contracts awaiting final signatures. He also stated that WESCAM's ability to commit to summer deliveries was assisted by the availability of components from current inventories.

WESCAM is a world leader in the design and manufacture of stabilized aerial camera, image capture and microwave transmission systems, used in numerous applications including public safety and surveillance, airborne law enforcement, electronic news gathering, feature films and commercials as well as the television broadcast of news and major sporting events around the globe. WESCAM is traded on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WSC".

CONTACT: Wescam Inc.

Mark Chamberlain, 905/ 689-2231

or

Wescam Inc.

Caroline Glasbey, 905/ 689-2231 (ext. 310)