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ATK Under Contract for Counter-IED Program

ATK Scorpion II Will Be a Transportable High-powered Microwave System

Jun 17, 2005

Minneapolis, June 17, 2005 – Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK) has received a $1.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build and test the Scorpion II Demonstration System, a transportable high-powered microwave system capable of disabling a wide variety of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Under terms of the contract, the AFRL’s Directed Energy Directorate, High Power Microwave Division will work closely with ATK to develop the system.

In previous tests with Scorpion I, ATK and the AFRL built, tested and fielded a high-powered microwave system that pre-detonated a wide variety of IEDs it encountered in realistic test scenarios, based on U.S. experience in Iraq. The AFRL specifically cited the team’s "superb ingenuity" that led to a first-ever high-power microwave system that was ruggedized for transport. According to the AFRL, Scorpion I demonstrated "the best result to be achieved by any system to date."

ATK’s Scorpion II is a rapid development program, reflecting the Department of Defense’s desire to develop force protection systems that can be deployed and used in the global war on terror.

ATK is a $3.0 billion advanced weapon and space systems company employing approximately 14,000 people in 23 states. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.