Thales selects LynuxWorks’ LynxOS for airborne communications controllers

Raleigh, NC and Toulon, France – May 25, 2005 – Thales, a global leader in providing integrated PowerPC™ and Pentium®-based VME COTS computing systems and solutions to OEMs and system integrators, today announced that it has selected the LynuxWorks™ LynxOS real-time operating system (RTOS) to power its PowerEngine7, a high-performance, low-power consumption single-board computer (SBC) based on the IBM PowerPC® 750X processor running at 733 MHz, for a fully qualified integrated subsystem which will serve as the basis for airborne communications controllers for defense applications.

Thales´ Computers business has incorporated LynxOS into a new subsystem which features the PowerEngine7 and predefined third-party I/O cards inside a 2U rugged rack. The fully integrated subsystem provides a complete turnkey system qualified under RTCA/DO-160 for use in demanding airborne environments.

“Working with a hard real-time, open standards-based OS like LynxOS enabled us to develop a turnkey product that met the stringent demands of the airborne environment,” said Valérie Bertheau, Vice President of Marketing for Thales´ Computers. “As a result, we can deliver a product on time that meets our customer´s needs.”

“Our products ensure that our customers can provide interoperability, application portability and upwards compatibility to allow for future technology upgrades to systems,” said Bob Morris, Vice President of Marketing for LynuxWorks. “LynuxWorks is committed to furthering the growth of Linux-based systems in the military and aerospace market by continuing to work with companies like Thales to ensure fast time-to-market.”

LynxOS® 4.0 from LynuxWorks is the hard real-time operating system for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who want to construct sophisticated real-time systems that do more, perform better, and come to market faster than the competition. The result of 15 years of real-time OS experience, only LynxOS combines hard real-time embedded technology with broad conformance to open and de facto standards like Linux®, POSIX and UNIX®, allowing developers to build products on top of LynxOS that meet the most stringent requirements for real-time, mission-critical applications, while enjoying the time-to-market and investment-protection advantages of open standards-based development.

About Thales

Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, serving defence, aerospace, security and services markets worldwide. The Group employs 61,500 people throughout the world and generated revenues of 10.3 billion euros in 2004. Thales Computers include development of commercial and ruggedized VMEbus systems solutions based on PowerPC and Pentium microprocessors. Thales´ products are optimized for a wide variety of applications in the military, aerospace, transportation, communications, and industrial markets and are used by customers worldwide, including Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Bombardier, Toshiba, British Aerospace, Ericsson, Alcatel, Thales Group, and others. For more information about the PowerEngine7 high-performance SBC, visit Thales Computers´ web site at www.thalescomputers.com, or contact Thales at 1-800-848-2330 or fax at 919-231-8001.

About LynuxWorks

LynuxWorks is a world leader in the embedded software market, providing operating systems, software development products and consulting services for the world’s most successful communications, aerospace/defense, and consumer products companies. Established in 1988, the company is a technology leader in the real-time operating systems (RTOS) industry, and a founding member of the Embedded Linux Consortium (ELC). LynuxWorks’ headquarters are located in San José, California. LynuxWorks is a trademark and LynxOS and BlueCat are registered trademarks of LynuxWorks, Inc. Other brand or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective holders. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds.