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ORBITAL AWARDED $23 MILLION CONTRACT FOR AIRBORNE DATA TRANSFER SYSTEM

Fairchild Defense Division to Supply Data Transfer System to United Arab Emirates for Mirage 2000 Aircraft

(Dulles, VA 20 September 1999) -- Orbital Sciences Corporation (NYSE: ORB) today announced that its Fairchild Defense Division has been awarded a $23.6 million contract to supply an advanced version of its Data Transfer Equipment (DTE) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defense for their new Mirage 2000/9 aircraft. Orbital's DTE will perform the initialization of the Mirage's avionics systems, host British Aerospace's TERPROM Digital Terrain System (DTS) algorithm and drive a color moving map display that will be installed in the cockpit. The system will also enable the UAE to load data directly from its mission planning system, which is also supplied by Orbital, into the aircraft's onboard information systems.

Orbital's DTE systems are already being used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Army aboard more that 35 aircraft types, including the F-16, F-22, A-10 and B-1B. In addition to U.S. military customers, national air and ground forces around the world also use Orbital's state-of-the-art DTE, including most of the NATO alliance countries, as well as Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, among many others.

Mr. Donald P. Ryan, Orbital's Senior Vice President and General Manager of its Fairchild Defense Division said, "Our DTE system, which generates full-featured digital moving maps, is a real technological breakthrough in this market. Its combination of state-of-the-art miniaturization and low acquisition cost, while maintaining and even improving on the operational features and performance of previous systems, is a significant competitive advantage."

Orbital's Fairchild Defense Division manages the development, production, integration and testing of a wide array of advanced electronics and avionics systems for use in military aircraft, helicopters and land vehicles.

Orbital is one of the world's largest space technology and satellite services companies, with 1999 revenues targeted to exceed $900 million. The company, which is headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, employs over 5,200 people at its major facilities in the United States, Canada and several overseas locations. Orbital manufactures low-cost space systems and products, including satellites, launch vehicles, electronics and sensors, satellite ground systems and software, and satellite-based navigation and communications products. Through its ORBCOMM and ORBIMAGE affiliates and ORBNAV subsidiary, Orbital is also a pioneering operator of satellite-based networks that provide data communications, high-resolution imagery and automotive information services to customers all around the world.

Contact: Barron Beneski, 7034065000, beneski.barron@orbital.com