PROJECT RE COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT PROTECTION

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8 January 2004

                              CHEMRING GROUP PLC                               

            Chemring Group subsidiary into next round of US project            

              to develop defence systems for commercial aircraft               

Chemring Group PLC ("Chemring") announces that its US subsidiary, Alloy
Surfaces Company, Inc. ("Alloy Surfaces") has been included in a consortium led
by United Airlines, which has been chosen by the US Department of Homeland
Security ("the DHS") as one of the three consortia to develop a viable
technology to address the threat that MAN-Portable Air Defense Systems
("MANPADS") pose to commercial aircraft.  A total of twenty-four groups had put
forward proposals.

Alloy Surfaces supported the United Airlines team in providing initial
presentations to the US Government, and the company will now provide its
proprietary advanced special material decoys for the project. Alloy Surfaces'
decoys are safer and environmentally friendlier than conventional decoys, are
combat proven and are widely used by the US military.

Under the agreement the United Airlines consortium will receive approximately
$2 million for Phase I of the project which will last approximately six months.
Phase 1 will produce a plan to adapt military missile detection and
countermeasure technologies for commercial aircraft use.  

These selections are the next step in the DHS's aggressive two-phased systems
development and demonstration programme for the evaluation of anti-missile
devices for commercial aircraft. This programme, which has a budget of $100
million over the next two years, is intended to adapt existing technology from
military to commercial aviation use, rather than to develop new technology.
 Phase I will also provide an analysis of the economic, manufacturing and
maintenance issues necessary to operate counter-MANPADs systems in the
commercial aviation environment.   Phase II will include a prototype
demonstration, and rigorous testing and evaluation of existing technology.

Chemring Chief Executive, David Evans, said: "This could be a significant
opportunity for Alloy Surfaces, which is already recognised as the market
leader in special material decoys, and we are very pleased that the company has
been chosen to participate in this important project."

For further information:

David Evans Chief Executive, Chemring Group PLC 01489 881880

Jonathan Rooper CardewChancery 0207 930 0777

Note for editors:

The two other consortia chosen to go forward to the second stage of this
project are led by BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman.



END