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ATK Scores First-ever MRM Direct Hit

ATK’S Guided Projectile Meets All Test Expectations

Apr 2, 2004

Minneapolis, April 2, 2004 – ATK (Alliant Techsystems, NYSE: ATK) is the first company to score a direct hit for the Mid-Range Munition program. In a test firing yesterday at the Yuma Proving Grounds, ATK’s guided Kinetic Energy projectile (MRM-KE) autonomously searched for, guided to, and hit a tank more than three miles away. During the engagement, the tank target was not visible from the projectile firing position.

MRM-KE will provide the U.S. Army with overwhelming lethality at line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight ranges. This precision-guided 120mm munition is designed to defeat threats with pinpoint accuracy while minimizing collateral damage and the exposure of U.S. forces to hostile fire.

"ATK is a world-leader in the development and production of precision munitions," said Dave Wise, president, ATK Missile Systems Company. "This direct hit by our MRM-KE is a milestone in precision fire capability for the Mounted Combat System (MCS) element of the Future Combat System. ATK’s MRM-KE promises to significantly improve the effectiveness of the MCS against the current and future threats."

ATK’s tactical MRM-KE will use a millimeter wave seeker to autonomously acquire and track the target and impulse thrusters to provide the maneuverability necessary to score a direct hit at ranges to 7.5 miles and beyond. This unique control system has no moving parts and, consequently, will provide high reliability at a low cost. The projectile will travel to these extended ranges on a ballistic trajectory. Before impact, a rocket motor will boost the projectile with its embedded long rod penetrator to lethal supersonic velocity.

The MRM program is jointly developed and managed by Army Research and Development Command (ARDEC) and the Office of the Project Manager – Maneuver Ammunition Systems (OPM-MAS) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ.

ATK is a $2.3 billion aerospace and defense systems company. ATK news and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.

Certain information discussed in this press release related to MRM-KE’s technical capabilities constitutes forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although ATK believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Among those factors are: the technical challenges of precision fire weaponry, changes in governmental spending and budgetary policies, economic conditions, equity market returns, the company's competitive environment, the timing of awards and contracts, the outcome of contingencies, including litigation and environmental remediation, program performance, and sales projections. ATK undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For further information on factors that could impact ATK, and statements contained herein, reference should be made to ATK’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and annual reports on Form 10-K.