Acquisition Completed

Spirent PLC
19 December 2000


                              
              COMPLETION OF THE ACQUISITION OF
                 HEKIMIAN LABORATORIES, INC

Spirent plc ('Spirent'), the international network technology  
company,   today   announces   the   successful completion 
of its acquisition of Hekimian Laboratories, Inc. from the 
Axel Johnson Group.

The  total  consideration  of US$1,575.0  million  has  been
satisfied  by  a cash payment of US$712.3 million  (financed
from the net proceeds of Spirent's recently concluded 5  for
24  rights issue) and the issue of 108,398,257 Spirent new
ordinary  shares  (representing 11.7 per cent  of  Spirent's
enlarged  issued share capital) to Lexa BV, which is  wholly
owned  by the Axel Johnson Group.  Admission of these shares
to  the  Official  List is expected to become  effective  on
Tuesday 19 December 2000.

Spirent  is  pleased to confirm that it has appointed  Goran
Ennerfelt,  President and Chief Executive  Officer  of  Axel
Johnson  AB,  as  a non-executive director of  Spirent  with
immediate effect.  Mr Ennerfelt is married to Antonia Ax:son
Johnson,  the  Chairman and fourth generation owner  of  the
Axel Johnson Group.

Nicholas Brookes, Chief Executive of Spirent, commented:

'The  completion  of  our  acquisition  of  Hekimian  is  an
important milestone in the strategic development of Spirent.
The  outstanding strategic fit of our telecoms test business
with  Hekimian's strengths in network monitoring  will  make
Spirent a world leader in service assurance systems for next
generation  networks.  I look forward to the future  of  the
enlarged group with confidence.'

Enquiries:

Nicholas Brookes,    Spirent plc        [phone]
Chief Executive                                    
Eric Hutchinson,                    
Finance Director

Tim Hancock          Rothschild         [phone]
William Spurgin                              

David Smith          Schroder  Salomon  [phone]
Philip Drinkall      Smith Barney       

Jon Coles            Brunswick          [phone]
Rupert Young                                 

Background note

Spirent  plc is an international network technology  company
providing  state-of-the-art solutions with a focus  on  high
growth,  high  margin activities.  It is a world  leader  in
advanced  telecommunications  testing  systems  and  network
products.

Spirent  is  a  FTSE 100 company quoted on the London  Stock
Exchange (ticker SPT) in the Information Technology Hardware
sector.   The Company operates a Level 1 American Depository
Receipt  programme (ticker: SPNUY; CUSIP number: 84856M100).
For information, contact Brian Heston, The Bank of New York,
American  Depositary Receipts, 101 Barclay St, 22 West,  New
York, NY10286.  Phone: [phone],  Fax: [phone].
e-mail: [e-mail] web site: www.adrbny.com.