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Arotech Awarded London
Bus Simulator Contract
February
1, 2005 - Arotech Corporation (NasdaqNM: ARTX) ) announced today
that its Simulation and Security Division, through its FAAC subsidiary,
has been awarded a contract valued at over $700,000 from First,
the UK’s leading public transport operator, to deliver the
UK’s first full-mission transit bus simulator to First’s
bus operations. The simulator is being developed in a partnership
with First and London Buses based on actual bus components being
supplied by Volvo and Wrightbus.
The bus simulator will incorporate computer-generated
imagery (CGI) to provide a panoramic seamless display, including
the use of real mirrors to view displays positioned behind the bus
operator. A realistic, right-hand drive, virtual driving world representative
of roads in London is being developed based on troublesome intersections
and areas identified by First and London Buses. Vehicles being developed
include straight bus frames and double-decker and articulated buses.
“We expect that training on the
bus simulator in London will have a similar impact on safety as
we have seen with our U.S. customers,” stated Al Jordan, FAAC
President. “Our customers have documented safety studies showing
as much as a 43% reduction in preventable accidents attributable
to training received on our MB-2000 bus driving simulators.”
“The contract is an important step
in expanding our international presence,” said Robert S. Ehrlich,
Chairman, President and CEO of Arotech. “We know safety is
First’s number one priority and the company has expressed
a desire to pioneer transit simulator applications that will benefit
bus passengers and employees in the UK. To encourage this, the contract
provides incentives for ongoing cooperation meant to ensure the
long-term success of this venture. We fully expect to see improvements
in driving standards, which in turn, will generate interest and
sales to other European transit programs in 2005.”
About Arotech’s Simulation and Security
Division
Arotech’s Simulation and Security Division
develops, manufactures and markets advanced hi-tech multimedia and
interactive digital solutions for use-of-force and driving training
of military, law enforcement, security and private industry personnel.
The division’s fully interactive driver-training systems feature
state-of-the-art vehicle simulator technology enabling training
in situation awareness, risk analysis and decision making, emergency
reaction and avoidance procedures, and conscientious equipment operation.
Over 100,000 drivers have been trained on its installed base of
220 driving simulators. The division also provides pilot decision-making
support software for the F-15, F-18, and JSF aircraft as well as
simulation models for the ACMI/TACTS air combat training ranges.
In addition, the division’s use-of-force training products
and services allow organizations to train their personnel in safe,
productive and realistic environments.
Arotech’s Simulation and Security Division
consists of FAAC Incorporated and IES Interactive Training Inc.
About Arotech Corporation
Arotech Corporation is a leading
provider of quality defense and security products for the military,
law enforcement and homeland security markets, including multimedia
interactive simulators/trainers, lightweight armoring and advanced
zinc-air and lithium batteries and chargers. Arotech operates through
three major business divisions: Armor, Simulation and Security and
Battery and Power Systems.
Arotech is incorporated in Delaware,
with corporate offices in New York, and research, development and
production subsidiaries in Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, California
and Israel.
About First
First is the UK’s largest
surface transport company with a turnover of nearly £2.5 billion
a year and over 62,000 employees across the UK and North America.
Our vision is to Transform Travel – providing public transport
services that are safe, reliable, high quality, personal and accessible.
We want to deliver the perfect journey to all our customers. We
are always looking to improve the way we work and to be forward
thinking, innovative and enthusiastic.
The safety of our passengers and
staff is of fundamental importance to us all and underpins everything
that we do.
We are the UK’s largest bus
operator, running more than one in five of all local bus services
and carrying over 2.8 million passengers every day. We have some
93,000 buses operating in 40 towns and cities. We operate passenger
and freight rail services in the UK and the Croydon Tramlink network.
For more information, please visit our website at www.firstgroup.com
Except for the historical information
herein, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking
statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, as they are subject to various
risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary significantly.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks
relating to: product and technology development; the uncertainty
of the market for Arotech’s products; changing economic conditions;
delay, cancellation or non-renewal, in whole or in part, of contracts
or of purchase orders; and other risk factors detailed in Arotech’s
most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2003, as amended, and other filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Arotech assumes no obligation to update
the information in this release. Reference to the Company’s
website above does not constitute incorporation of any of the information
thereon into this press release.
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