Actel and Inicore Deliver Turnkey Design Solution to L-3 Targa Systems for Data Storage Products

Partners Combine Silicon, Software, IP and Design Services To Enable First-Time Product Success, Fast Time-to-Market and Reduced Design Cost

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 17, 2004 - Actel Corporation (Nasdaq: ACTL) today announced it has joined with Inicore, an intellectual property (IP) and design services partner, to deliver a turnkey design solution to the Targa Systems Division of L3 Communications for a new line of data storage products for military and rugged applications. The silicon, software, IP and design services provided by Actel and Inicore, a member of Actel's Solution Partner Program, enabled L-3 Targa Systems to achieve first-time product success, while also providing the added benefits of rapid time-to-market and reduced overall design costs.

L-3 Targa Systems designed two new data storage products - one utilizing Actel's high-performance, single-chip, nonvolatile A54SX08A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and the other using an A54SX72A FPGA device. In addition, Inicore provided VME and ATA IP cores for the designs, while Actel delivered a CorePCI core that served as a bridge interface for the new products. By providing pre-verified IP, Actel and Inicore helped reduce design time and provided L-3 Targa Systems with the ability to integrate multiple design elements into a one-chip solution, reducing component count and cost.

"We were extremely impressed with the complete package that was delivered by Actel and Inicore and believe these types of turnkey design solutions are the wave of the future," said Dave Saunders, general manager at L-3 Targa Systems. "By leaving the semiconductor IP building blocks and silicon design work to Actel and Inicore, we were able to concentrate on adding value to the products in other areas, which substantially benefited the overall system designs."

Yankin Tanurhan, senior director of applications and IP solutions at Actel, said, "These two design wins with L-3 Targa Systems are a great example of the value-add that Actel and its Solutions Partners, such as Inicore, can deliver. IP building blocks coupled with Inicore's system-level integration expertise played an integral role in enabling first-pass design success. In addition, the high reliability and extended temperature range provided by our tamper-proof SX-A devices met the stringent requirements for L-3 Targa Systems' extremely rugged products."

"One of the key goals for L-3 Targa Systems was to minimize software code changes from previous designs," added Hans J. Kuffer, vice president of business development at Inicore. "This was easier to accomplish using FPGA devices and RTL IP cores, versus alternative silicon solutions, such as an ASIC or ASSP. Leveraging the pre-built IP offered by Actel and Inicore, in tandem with our design service knowledge, we were able to provide L-3 Targa Systems with a time-to-market and cost-reduction advantage that is vital for today's highly competitive market."

Qualified to operate over the full military temperature range from -55 degrees C to +125 degrees C, Actel's SX-A FPGAs deliver high-performance at extended temperatures. L-3 Targa Systems wanted the extended temperature ranges of the SX-A devices because of their ability to outperform standard bridge devices in extreme environmental conditions.

The SX-A devices, based on Actel's nonvolatile antifuse technology, provide an inherently secure, low-cost, single-chip solution. Featuring up to 72,000 typical gates, or 36,000 ASIC gates, the SX-A devices deliver system performance of up to 250 MHz.

About Actel

Actel Corporation is a supplier of innovative programmable logic solutions, including field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on antifuse and flash technologies, high-performance intellectual property (IP) cores, software development tools and design services, targeted for the high-speed communications, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) replacement and radiation-tolerant markets. Founded in 1985, Actel employs more than 500 people worldwide. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ACTL and is headquartered at 2061 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA, 94043-4655. Telephone: 888-99-ACTEL (992-2835). Internet: http://www.actel.com.

About Inicore Inc.

Inicore is experienced system design house providing FPGA and ASIC solutions, from specification to fully tested silicon. The company's expertise in architectures, intellectual property, methodology and tool handling provides a complete design environment that helps customers shorten their design cycle and speed time to market. Inicore expertise is in the area where processors, controller and DSP-based applications are required. Our experts help customers develop innovative products serving new and existing markets such as in the areas of medical instrumentation, communications, industrial and building control, bus systems and processors, portable applications, data acquisition, automotive, aviation and consumer goods. For more information on Inicore, visit their website at www.inicore.com.

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