Ceradyne, Inc. Receives Phase I Award for Next Generation Ceramic Missile Radomes

Ceradyne, Inc. (Nasdaq:CRDN) announced that it has been awarded a $342,000 research phase I contract by NAVAIR, China Lake, California, to develop a next-generation high-performance ceramic missile radome (“nose cone”). The material will be a variation of Ceradyne’s silicon nitride (Si3N4) advanced ceramic technology. Ceradyne intends to subcontract certain tasks to the Boeing Corporation.

Dr. Biljana Mikijelj, Ceradyne R&D Director, is the principal investigator on this program. Dr. Mikijelj stated, “We are very pleased to have received this research award in order to develop next-generation ceramic missile radome materials. Ceradyne’s Scottdale, Georgia, plant is a dedicated state-of-the-art production ceramic radome facility producing not only the ceramic missile radome blank, but the high-precision diamond-machined finished component.

“Although phase I will be completed in 2010, we anticipate other phases over a 3-year period will be awarded.”

Ceradyne develops, manufactures, and markets advanced technical ceramic products and components for defense, industrial, automotive/diesel, and commercial applications. Additional information about the Company can be found at www.ceradyne.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Ceradyne that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Words such as "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "expects," "intends," "future," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended dated December 31, 2008 and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.