Esterline Engineered Materials Selected for U.S. Military's F-35 Strike Aircraft Program

BELLEVUE, WA, Mar 29 (MARKET WIRE) --
Esterline Corporation (NYSE: ESL) (www.esterline.com), a leading
specialty manufacturer serving aerospace/defense markets, today announced
that its Los Angeles-based Engineered Materials operation has been
selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company to supply sealing and low
observable products for the multirole F-35 Lightning II.

The contract draws on design and development work performed by Lockheed,
Northrop Grumman and Esterline Engineered Materials working together to
produce the most advanced strike aircraft in the world. The agreement,
valued at more than $190 million, will cover the low rate production
phase of the program currently estimated to include 596 aircraft to be
produced through the year 2017.

Brad Lawrence, Esterline CEO, said, "The F-35 introduces superior
advancements to ensure more effective and safer campaigns for our service
members, and Esterline is proud to be a part of it."

Rick Gentle, President of Esterline Engineered Materials, said, "Our
cutting edge technology is part of the unique blend of materials that
will help the F-35 Lightning maintain air dominance whenever it is called
upon. We look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with
Lockheed Martin and their domestic and international partners."

Lawrence added that in addition to engineered materials, Esterline
supplies the F-35 with a variety of other technical solutions, ranging
from specialized sensors and systems to avionics and controls.

"All told," Lawrence said, "the Joint Strike Fighter is a significant
program for Esterline with dollar content per aircraft currently
exceeding $800,000."

The F-35 Lightning II is the aircraft selected by the Department of
Defense for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which aims to develop
affordable 5th generation aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy,
U.S. Marine Corps, and America's allies.

The JSF program goal is to dramatically reduce the costs of development,
operation and maintenance by replacing a range of military aircraft with
three variants of the F-35: the F-35A for conventional takeoff and
landing (CTOL), the F-35B for short takeoff and landing (STOVL), and the
F-35C carrier-based variant.

Two Esterline Engineered Materials locations -- Kirkhill Elastomers in
Brea, Calif., and TA Aerospace in Valencia, Calif. -- will actively
participate in meeting the requirements of this agreement. Their products
are the solution of choice for a wide range of sealing, clamping, thermal
and fire barrier protection and low observable technology used throughout
the aerospace industry.

About Esterline
Esterline Corporation is a leading world-wide supplier
to the aerospace and defense industry specializing in three core areas:
Avionics & Controls, Sensors & Systems, and Advanced Materials.
Operations within the Avionics & Controls segment focus on
high-technology electronics products for military and commercial aircraft
and land- and sea-based military vehicles, secure communications systems,
specialized medical equipment, and other industrial applications. The
Sensors & Systems segment includes operations that produce high-precision
temperature and pressure sensors, electrical power distribution
equipment, and other related systems principally for aerospace and
defense customers. Operations within the Advanced Materials segment focus
on technologies, including high-temperature resistant materials and
components used for a wide range of military and commercial aerospace
purposes and combustible ordnance and electronic warfare countermeasure
products. Esterline is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and employs
over 9,000 people worldwide. Esterline Engineered Materials is
headquartered in Brea, California with units located in the U.S. and the
U.K. These operating units are wholly owned subsidiaries of Esterline
Corporation.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
statements relate to future events or our future financial performance.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology
such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate,"
"expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict,"
"should" or "will," or the negative of such terms, or other comparable
terminology. These forward-looking statements are only predictions based
on the current intent and expectations of the management of Esterline,
are not guarantees of future performance or actions, and involve risks
and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and may cause Esterline's
or its industry's actual results, performance or achievements to be
materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Esterline's
actual results and the timing and outcome of events may differ materially
from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements due
to risks detailed in Esterline's public filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Contact:
Investor Inquiries:
Brian Keogh
425-453-9400

Media Inquiries:
Diane Cash
661-775-1134

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