EASI Engineered Support Systems (MM)

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Engineered Support Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:EASI) wholly-owned subsidiary Engineered Air Systems, Inc. was awarded a $24.5 million contract from the U.S. Army's Tank-automotive & Armaments Command, Rock Island, Ill. (TACOM-RI) for production of next generation electronic-powered Chemical Biological Protective Shelter retrofit kits (CBPS-M2). The contract includes production of 152 retrofit kits to be installed by organic depot maintenance facilities, and additional design and instructor validation/verification technical support. Engineered Support has produced over 195 CBPS-M1 units to date, with production continuing at its facilities in West Plains, Missouri and Florence, KY. For the CBPS-M2 units, the contract period of performance begins with deliveries in July 2006 through 2007 with quantities up to 12 kits a month. CBPS-M1 units were deployed extensively during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, according to the company's Vice Chairman and CEO, Gerald A. Potthoff. "We're excited to provide our nation's warfighters with this next- generation CBPS, and the advanced capability that allows them to operate in an environmentally-controlled contamination free environment," Potthoff said. "We're also pleased to have finalized the new CBPS-M2 design working closely with the Joint Program Manager-Collective Protection, TACOM-Rock Island, the Army's Research, Development and Engineering Command at Natick, and our subcontractor partner, Azure Dynamics." The CBPS is designed for use in chemically or biologically contaminated areas, and provides a self-contained, environmentally-controlled and contamination-free work area for use as a mobile medical aid station, field command post or emergency facility. The CBPS can be deployed and fully operational in less than 20 minutes. The CBPS-M2 is self-powered and no longer reliant upon the High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) as its primary source for power, and it can be transported by other vehicles or weapons platforms besides the HMMWV. The new design also eliminates hydraulic components of the power system, reduces noise when deployed in a tactical environment, improves fuel savings for the HMMWV, and features digital rather than analog controls. Engineered Support Systems, Inc. provides advanced sustainment solutions including the design, manufacture and supply of integrated military electronics, support equipment and technical and logistics services for all branches of America's armed forces and certain foreign militaries, homeland security forces and selected government and intelligence agencies. The company also produces specialized equipment and systems for commercial and industrial applications. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.engineeredsupport.com/ . DATASOURCE: Engineered Support Systems, Inc. CONTACT: Larry Cox, Communications Mgr of Engineered Support Systems, Inc., +1-314-553-4960, or Web site: http://www.engineeredsupport.com/

Copyright