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SBS Technologies, Inc. ("SBS") (NASDAQ: SBSE) and Digital Equipment Corporation ("DEC") today announced plans to cooperatively develop an Alpha-based Digital Avionics Solution for ground-based and on-board aircraft simulation. The system will combine SBS 1553 PCI modules and SBS Bit 3 PCI-to-VME Adapters with a 64-bit Alpha system. The Digital Avionics Solution will provide users with the industry's fastest computer performance for data-intensive simulation and test applications. The Digital Avionics Solution is based on the AlphaServer 4100 Custom Solution System with up to four 64-bit processors at 466 MHz or 533 MHz. This mid-range server's 8.75" low profile and MIL-SPEC design make it ideal for deployment in tight spaces, including on-board aircraft, and harsh environments. This flexibly configured, rack mount platform can include other systems, storage and communications options that fit into a 19" wide rack. The Digital Avionics Solution runs Windows NT, Digital UNIX, or OpenVMS operating systems, and supports all of the SBS Avionics Technologies 1553 Application Libraries. MIL-STD-1553 is a communications bus developed for military aircraft which provides a path for flight computers to pass data in a very reliable manner with a confirmation response time of less than 12 microseconds. Military programs, including a wide variety of aircraft, helicopters, M1 Tanks, and shipboard applications, have adopted this standard. NASA is also using MIL-STD-1553 throughout the International Space Station. Simulation, training, hardware certification, software validation, and field support are all frequent applications where customers require very fast processor/platforms, and the high speed interface cards that the Digital-SBS team provides. "Combining SBS' industry-leading 1553 technology with the high performance of the Digital AlphaServer platform provides a perfect solution for avionics applications, including simulation," said Gene Nelson, Vice President of Digital CustomSystems. "Customers will benefit from this relationship through our delivery of fully integrated, high-performance, reliable avionics solutions." "SBS has worked with Digital on several past programs and we look forward to joining with DEC on opportunities which utilize Alpha-based solutions," said Bill Fleissner, Vice President Sales and Marketing of SBS' Aerospace Group. "We appreciate Digital's selection of SBS and pledge to continue providing both industry-leading technology and our commitment to superior customer support," Fleissner continued. The Digital Avionics Solution is being offered as part of the Digital CustomSystems High Performance Building Block Program in which Digital works jointly with third parties to develop total solutions for the market and helps businesses solve complex problems faster and more effectively. It will be available from Digital with first shipments expected during the second quarter of calendar 1998. Prices are custom quoted. SBS Technologies, Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of open-architecture, standard bus embedded computer components that system designers can easily utilize to create a custom solution specific to the user's unique application. SBS product lines include CPU boards, input/output (I/O) modules, avionics interface modules and analyzers, interconnection and expansion units, telemetry boards, data acquisition software and industrial computers. SBS embedded computer components are used in a variety of applications, such as telecommunications, medical imaging, industrial control, and flight instrumentation in commercial and aerospace markets. For news releases, product and other information, visit SBS on the World Wide Web at http://www.sbs.com. Digital Equipment Corporation, recognized for product and service excellence, is a leading supplier of high-performance, Web-based computing solutions that help enterprises compete in the global marketplace. Digital gives its customers a winning Internet advantage through a comprehensive portfolio of Internet solutions based on award-winning systems, advanced networking infrastructure, innovative software, and industry applications, including those from business partners. The expertise and experience of Digital employees help customers plan, design and implement, manage and support Internet solutions in countries throughout the world. For the latest company information, visit Digital on the World Wide Web at http://www.digital.com and/or http://www.newsdeck.com. See the related news article in the Albuquerque Journal, (Wednesday, April 1, 1998) at http://www.abqjournal.com/biz/1biz4-1.htm. Certain of the foregoing information are forward-looking statements regarding the future events or the future financial performance of the Company, and are subject to a number of risks and other factors which could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Among such factors are: general business and economic conditions; customer acceptance of and demand for the Company's new products; the Company's overall ability to design, test and introduce new products on a timely basis; the cyclical nature of the markets addressed by the Company's products; and the risk factors listed from time to time in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.