Argon Awarded Next Phase of DARPA Robust Surface Navigation Program

(Fairfax, Va., April 6, 2010) -- Argon ST, Inc. (NASDAQ: STST), a leading systems engineering, development and services company providing full-service C5ISR (command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) systems and services to a wide range of defense and intelligence customers, was awarded a contract option for Phase 2B of the Robust Surface Navigation (RSN) program from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Strategic Technology Office.

The Phase 2B contract option is worth approximately $11M and was awarded after the successful completion of Phase 2A of the RSN program. Argon was initially selected in 2006 by DARPA to develop new and innovative algorithms for mitigating multi-path signal errors and signal blockage that occurs in urban canyons and indoor environments. Advancements made by the Argon team during Phases 1 and 2A along with the real-time system demonstrations to be made during Phase 2B will ultimately enable U.S. military operations to navigate in GPS-denied areas using radio frequency signals of opportunity.

"In today's technology-laden combat arenas, the importance of developing alternate technologies to GPS for precision positioning and navigation has never been more critical," said Kerry Rowe, President and Chief Operating Officer, Argon ST. "We are committed to helping solve the fundamental problem of navigation and geolocation in GPS-denied or -degraded areas, especially in the difficult environments inside buildings and in urban canyons. Technologies being developed by the Argon team for DARPA will help our forces overcome these obstacles, and this award for RSN Phase 2B will develop a real-time system that demonstrates this capability.

"A corporate objective for 2010 is to maintain our momentum on our key programs with excellent execution and to leverage that execution into expanded roles on future efforts. This award is indicative of our continued progress on this front. We are very proud that DARPA, the central research and development office for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), continues to rely on Argon for such an important capability, and we are discussing options with other agencies to transition RSN technologies into future DoD systems."

Source : Argon ST Inc.