UIC United Indl Corp

HUNT VALLEY, Md., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Industrial Corporation (NYSE:UIC) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary AAI Corporation has been externally assessed at the highest maturity level possible in the U.S. Defense Department's Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Capability Maturity Model(R) (CMM(R)), the most widely used yardstick in industry for evaluating a company's software processes. AAI is now one of only 25 reported U.S. companies and other organizations that have achieved the uppermost assessment, known as Level 5 -- Optimizing. Other companies from the defense industry that have achieved this status include BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, General Dynamics Corporation, General Electric Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Raytheon Company. AAI is a leading manufacturer of software-intensive defense products such as unmanned aerial vehicle systems and ground control stations, electronic simulation training systems, and automated aircraft test and maintenance equipment. "Because software is so vital to the development of modern weapons and support systems," Frederick M. Strader, UIC and AAI president and chief executive officer explained, "we embarked on a mission in 2003 to quickly and efficiently elevate our SEI-CMM assessment to the highest level possible." "We're extremely proud that we've accomplished our goal, an achievement that ranks AAI among the premier defense companies in terms of demonstrated maturity of software processes used in product design and manufacturing," Strader added. "The bottom line is that our achievement of Level 5 helps ensure empowerment of our software engineering staff, adaptability of our organization, and customer satisfaction." SEI is a federally-funded research and development center sponsored by the Defense Department and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The institute provides technical leadership to advance superior software processes critical in U.S. defense systems, including the benefits of predictable and improved cost, schedule, and quality in acquisition and sustainment. Mark Rabideau of Process Enhancement Partners, Inc., and the lead assessor of the team that evaluated AAI, said in summarizing the team's findings that AAI's Level 5 status is "more robust than most" because it involves variously- sized projects spanning diverse application domains and technologies. "Achieving Level 5 isn't an end. It's actually the beginning of what's ahead for AAI," he said. "You've developed your maturity in ways that should help you compete, succeed, adapt and grow." United Industrial Corporation designs, produces, and supports defense systems. Its products and services include unmanned aerial vehicle systems, training and simulation systems, automated aircraft test and maintenance equipment, armament systems, logistical and engineering services, and other leading-edge technology solutions for defense needs. The company also manufactures combustion equipment for biomass and refuse fuels. For more information, visit http://www.unitedindustrial.com/ and http://www.aaicorp.com/. Except for the historical information contained herein, information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and variations of such words and similar expressions that indicate future events and trends are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, which include, but are not limited to, projections of revenues, earnings, segment performance, cash flows, and contract awards. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause the company's actual results or performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. The company makes no commitment to update any forward- looking statement or to disclose any facts, events, or circumstances after the date hereof that may affect the accuracy of any forward-looking statement. For additional information about the company and its various risk factors, please see the company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. DATASOURCE: United Industrial Corporation CONTACT: Stuart F. Gray, AAI, +1-410-628-8686, Web site: http://www.unitedindustrial.com/ http://www.aaicorp.com/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/113559.html

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