NEWS BRIEFS

Chelmsford, MASS. — Mercury Computer Systems, Inc., a leading provider of real-time digital signal and image processing computer systems, announced today that it has delivered a RACE++ system valued at $1.4 million to Aeromet, Inc. Aeromet, a provider of commercial aircraft, instrumentation and services for complex test and measurement applications, will utilize the PowerPC “G4” based system to upgrade its High Altitude Observatory (HALO) aircraft under contract to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC).

“HALO is a key platform for the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command,” said Garry Booker, Chief Operating Officer at Aeromet. “Mercury’s systems have made it possible for us to track ballistic missile payloads with tremendous speed and efficiency. HALO can now provide unprecedented performance for image capture, storage and retrieval in a lightweight, low-cost package.”

Mercury’s integrated digital signal processors will dramatically improve the performance of the missile tracking system aboard the HALO aircraft. This upgrade will speed the recording of the images and provide both a clearer display and greater archival storage. When the HALO’s mission is complete, military officials will have the ability to immediately replay and analyze the recorded tests to assess the success of the mission.

The HALO program began in 1985 during the early phases of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The HALO aircraft is a Gulfstream II-B that has been modified by Aeromet to carry three sensor suites. Each sensor suite is a self-contained unit complete with optical windows, sensors, data acquisition and recording instruments. By flying at very high altitudes the HALO aircraft is closer to the proximity of the missile and avoids clouds at lower altitudes. The Mercury system will be installed on a 2nd Gulfstream II-B HALO aircraft to collect and process data from a state-of-the-art large aperture open port infrared sensor system.

“Mercury’s high-performance systems are used on platforms ranging in size from tactical fighters, to 707-based Joint STARS, to executive jet platforms,” said Vince Mancuso, vice president and general manager, Government Electronics Group, Mercury Computer Systems. “The experience gained in radar applications is now being applied to optical tracking systems. Being selected by Aeromet underscores the applicability of Mercury’s technology to a wide range of military applications.” Additional information and a photograph of the HALO are available at: http://www.aeromet.com/

Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. is the leading independent producer of high-performance embedded, real-time digital signal and image processing computer systems that transform sensor data to information for analysis and interpretation. Mercury’s products play a critical role in a wide range of defense electronics and medical imaging applications. In air-, sea-, and land-based military platforms, these systems process real-time radar, sonar, and signals intelligence data. Mercury’s systems are also used in state-of-the-art medical diagnostic devices, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and the rapidly growing field of digital X-ray.

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