RIDGEFIELD, Conn., Nov. 6, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Markland Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB:MRKL), an integrated homeland security company, (www.marklandtech.com) announced today an update on its research efforts directed toward developing multiple products designed specifically for cargo screening applications.
Markland's recent acquisition of Science and Technology Research Inc. (STR) has provided an accelerated path to product solutions tailored for aircraft cargo screening.
There are no widely deployed solutions for the fast, efficient screening of cargo. This represents a threat, and a significant challenge for the Department of Homeland Security. In particular, the Transportation Safety Administration is under significant pressure to deploy explosives screening equipment on commercial aircraft to detect potentially harmful cargo carried aboard by passengers, or loaded on by freight companies.
Markland believes that a proprietary vapor trace device currently being designed by STR may offer significant advantages over other potential solutions due to STR's field tested dual IMS cell sensor design. The design currently deployed by STR has produced best of breed performance results in the field of chemical warfare detectors. The benefits of the STR device include having a very low false alarm rate, and a versatile detection algorithm that is capable of detecting the trace vapors generated by a number of chemical compounds. These are chemical compounds that are traditionally found in many high explosive materials.
Deployment within airport cargo handling areas, or within airplane cargo containers, may provide significant primary screening detection capabilities.
The company's self-funded product research includes multiple research projects with the US Navy, Livermore National Laboratories and the newly founded Homeland Security Advanced Projects Agency.
Markland Chairman, Robert Tarini stated, "Although STR originally developed and deployed the detection device for shipboard chemical detection, our technology exhibits great versatility and core performance features we believe are tailor made for explosives detection applications in the area of airborne cargo screening."
About Markland Technologies
Markland Technologies, Inc is committed to helping secure America by providing innovative emerging technologies and expert services to meet the country's needs to protect our people, our borders and our infrastructure assets.
The Company is a Board member of the Homeland Security Industries Association (http://www.hsianet.org) and is the featured Company on http://www.Homelanddefensestocks.com.
"Forward-Looking Statements"
Investors are cautioned that certain statements contained in this document as well as some statements in periodic press releases and some oral statements of Markland Technologies officials during presentations about Markland Technologies, are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Forward-looking statements include statements which are predictive in nature, which depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, which include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions. In addition, any statements concerning future financial performance (including future revenues, earnings or growth rates), ongoing business strategies or prospects, and possible future actions, which may be provided by management, are also forward-looking statements as defined by the Act. Some of the factors that could significantly impact the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to: insufficient cash flow to continue to fund the development and marketing of the Company's products and technology; a rejection of the Company's products and technologies by the marketplace, and; disputes as to the Company's intellectual property rights. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and projections about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about Markland Technologies, its products, economic and market factors and the industries in which Markland Technologies does business, among other things. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and Markland Technologies has no specific intention to update these statements. More detailed information about those factors is contained in Markland Technologies filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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