High Res Satellite Data

[Clinton Libbey]

February 28, 1996

ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES AND CORE SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY ANNOUNCE FORMATION OF
A JOINT VENTURE COMPANY TO ENTER HIGH RESOLUTION SATELLITE IMAGERY MARKET

Tel Aviv. - Israel Aircraft Industries, Ltd. (IAI) Tel Aviv, Israel, and Core
Software Technology (CST) of Pasadena, California announced today the
formation of a joint venture company to enter the market for high resolution
satellite imagery. The company will be owned and operated as an international
consortium of companies including its founders, IAI and CST. 

The company's first remote sensing system is based on the IAI Space
Technologies Directorate's successful low earth orbiting satellite
technology. At least seven additional second generation satellites, combining
one meter panchromatic and multispectral image acquisition, are scheduled for
launch between 1998 and 2002. 

Dr. Steven Cox, formerly Executive Director of International Sales and
Marketing with EOSAT, operator of the US Landsat commercial satellite imaging
program, has been named the Managing Director of the joint venture. 
Reception agreements have been signed with the National Central University,
Taiwan, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korea. An IAI
operated ground station will perform command and control for the initial
satellite as well as imagery collection in the Middle East. Eight additional
ground receiving stations have expressed written intent to support the
program. 

"The program has been well received throughout the world. The availability of
high resolution digital imagery will finally permit satellite information to
achieve the broad market acceptance that has been lacking under existing
programs", Dr. Cox stated. "By partnering with the operators of existing
ground receiving, archiving and processing facilities, we'll be able to begin
building a worldwide archive in 1997, as well as providing high resolution
image acquisition services on a global scale. Low-cost satellite
manufacturing by IAI, and the leveraging of existing infrastructure position
us to emerge as one of two or three successful programs required to
adequately serve this important emerging market." 

The program will leverage existing satellite imagery distribution
infrastructure through CST's ImageNet(TM) on-line geospatial information
indexing and distribution system. ImageNet is an Internet service initiated
by CST and offered internationally by a consortium of franchised affiliated
service providers including Eurimage, Rome, Italy (European ImageNet),
Interbranch Association Sovinformsputnik, Moscow, Russia (Russian ImageNet)
and Tiltan System Engineering, Tel Aviv, Israel (Middle Eastern ImageNet).
Asian, South American, Australian, and African ImageNet programs are
scheduled for commencement of regional ImageNet services in 1996. 

IAI is Israel's largest high-tech concern and a globally recognized leader in
defense and civil aerospace technology. IAI provides unique and cost
effective technological solutions to a broad spectrum of needs in air, land,
sea and space environments. Nearly 80% of the company's $1.4 billion in sales
in 1995 is comprised of exports to 5 continents. These sales reflect the
growing expansion in civil aerospace and IAI's continued leading edge
position as a prime contractor, subcontractor and joint venture partner. 

CST is the operator of North American ImageNet and the developer and supplier
of client-server software supporting global ImageNet services. CST has been
organizing the international ImageNet infrastructure for three years through
strategic relationships with leading providers of geospatial information
services and products, including satellite and aerial imagery, computer
cartographic and demographic data. 

For more information contact: 

Mr. Shmuel Alkon
Corporate VP and General Manager
IAI Electronics Group
Tel: 972-3-536-0450, 531-4021
Fax: 972-3-531-4150

Dr. Steven Cox
Managing Director
Tel: 818-796-9155
Fax: 818-796-8574
e-mail: cox at coresw.com

Mr. Steve Wilson
CEO
Core Software Technology
Tel: 818-796-9155
Fax: 818-796-8574