23M US$ Contract

Smiths Group PLC
06 April 2006





Press Release

Smiths Group plc

765 Finchley Road  London  NW11 8DS

T: [phone]  F: [phone]

www.smiths-group.com

London, 06 April 2006

For immediate release












Smiths Group awarded $23 million U.S. Government contract for mobile high-energy
X-ray systems



Smiths Detection, a leading provider of X-ray and trace detection systems, today
announced it has been awarded a $23 million U.S. Government contract for HCV
Mobile II trucks, high-energy mobile cargo screening systems that will be
deployed to several strategic ports throughout the country.



'The HCV Mobile II adds a unique, flexible layer of security in our nation's
fight against terrorism,' said Cherif Rizkalla, President of Smiths Detection,
Americas, part of the global engineering business Smiths Group. 'This
state-of-the-art mobile detection system significantly increases the ability to
secure the nation's ports by rapidly assisting in the identification of
potentially lethal and illegal shipments.'



The HCV Mobile II is a second generation system that meets all U.S highway
standards and can be driven from one port to another at normal freeway speeds. A
key feature of the HCV Mobile II system is its ability to generate
high-resolution images of a container's contents. The images are further
enhanced through proprietary software designed to assist in the identification
of contraband. Systems can also be deployed with integrated radiation detection
capability.



Assembled in America on an International Truck chassis, the 3.8 MeV system
generates high-energy X-rays that can penetrate more than 10.5 inches of steel
with the significant added advantages of mobility and radiation detection
capabilities. Detection of radioactive material in trucks and container loads is
an innovative feature added to the HCV Mobile II to bypass inefficient cargo
unloading and inspection.



HCV Mobile II Feature Highlights

-      High energy mobile X-ray scanner with integrated radiation detection
       capabilities (meeting ANSI requirements)

-      Combines multi-threat detection with a single scan

-      100 percent mobile, enabling rapid responses and random inspections

-      Autonomous system which requires no external infrastructure

-      High inspection speed results in a higher traffic flow

-      Able to travel on conventional roads at speeds in excess of 50 miles per
       hour

-      Small footprint

-      Easy and rapid process requiring few staff; 30-minute set up time



Smiths Group
Smiths Group is a global engineering business, listed on the London Stock
Exchange. Smiths focuses on high performance applications, building and
sustaining market-leading businesses in growth sectors. It reaches deep into
global markets taking its manufacturing closer to its customers. Smiths has four
divisions: Aerospace, Detection, Medical and Specialty. It employs 32,000 people
and has over 250 major facilities in 50 countries. For more information visit
www.smiths-group.com

About Smiths Detection

Smiths Detection is one of four operating divisions of Smiths Group. Smiths
Detection offers technologically advanced security solutions to detect and
identify explosives, chemical and biological agents, weapons, and contraband,
plus specialist applications for life sciences and food manufacturing
industries. Employing trace detection technology together with Smiths-Heimann
x-ray imaging, Smiths Detection provides security solutions for customers in
homeland security and defense markets worldwide. For more information visit:
www.smithsdetection.com



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