Bulgaria Customs Agency Debuts AS&E’s Z Backscatter Van X-ray Inspection System

American Science and Engineering, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASEI) (AS&E^®), a leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions, announced that the National Customs Agency of Bulgaria has debuted the Company’s top selling proprietary Z Backscatter^™ Van (ZBV^™) mobile X-ray inspection system in a ceremony today. AS&E’s ZBV will inspect cargo and vehicles entering Bulgaria’s borders for contraband and threats. The ZBV has proven its ability to quickly and safely find contraband, including alcohol, tobacco, and other legal goods, smuggled to evade duties. With over 450 systems sold to over 90 customers in 47 countries to date, AS&E’s ZBV is the number one selling non-intrusive mobile inspection system on the market.

"We are honored to have participated in this ceremony to introduce Bulgaria’s first Z Backscatter Van,” said Robert Postle, AS&E’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Sales. "The highly mobile and versatile ZBV has been successfully used by border officials to perform rapid inspections of vehicles, and offers quick and reliable manifest and cargo verification to secure Bulgaria’s borders. ZBV success stories from around the world continue to grow, with many reports of large tobacco, alcohol, and other illegal item seizures.”

"The National Customs Agency of Bulgaria is committed to strict control on import tariff on goods,” said Vanyo Tanov, Director General of the National Customs Agency of Bulgaria. "Uncovering smuggled items result in increased income in the Bulgarian national budget. Customs officers will implement the ZBV into existing security protocols to facilitate effective scanning procedures.”

ZBV Proven Success Worldwide

The number of ZBV success stories from around the world continues to grow, from seizures of large quantities of drugs, contraband cigarettes, and alcohol to the detection of stowaways and bulk explosives in war zones. One border security agency reported drug seizures in excess of 45,000 pounds in December, 2009 and January, 2010 using the ZBV at passenger vehicle checkpoints. The two largest seizures on the border occurred within days of each other, where two tractor trailers were referred to secondary inspection with the ZBV. Both resulted in seizures totaling 740 bundles of marijuana — a combined 12,000 pounds — hidden in produce shipments.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers uncovered 1,484 cartons and 158 packets of smuggled cigarettes in a bus hidden under floorboards. The potential customs duties for the duty-unpaid cigarettes totaled about $79,000, according to AsiaOne in March, 2009. AsiaOne also reported that the ZBV was used to interdict Singapore’s largest haul of illegal tobacco products when a bus driver tried to smuggle them into the country through the Tuas Checkpoint.

To view a listing of additional seizures, click here.

The ZBV is designed to detect large amounts of organic material including:

• Illegal Drugs
• Trade Fraud Items such as alcohol, tobacco, and other legal goods smuggled to evade duties
• Currency
• Explosives including car and truck bombs
• Stowaways such as illegal immigrants and terrorists

The ZBV is a low-cost, highly mobile screening system built into a commercially available delivery van. The system’s unique "drive-by” capability allows one or two operators to conduct X-ray imaging while the ZBV drives past suspect vehicles and objects. The ZBV employs AS&E's Z Backscatter technology, which produces a clear, photo-like image and reveals threats and contraband that transmission X-ray systems miss.

About AS&E^®

American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E) is the leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray inspection systems. With over 50 years of experience in developing advanced X-ray security systems, the Company’s product line utilizes a combination of technologies, including patented Z Backscatter^™ technology, Radioactive Threat Detection (RTD), high energy transmission and dual energy transmission X-ray. These technologies offer superior X-ray threat detection for plastic explosives, plastic weapons, liquid explosives, dirty bombs and nuclear devices. AS&E’s complete range of products include cargo inspection systems for port and border security, baggage screening systems for facility and aviation security, and personnel and passenger screening systems. AS&E systems protect high-threat facilities and help combat terrorism and trade fraud, drug smuggling, weapon smuggling, and illegal immigration and people smuggling. AS&E customers include leading government agencies, border authorities, military bases, airports and corporations worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), UK Border Agency (UKBA), Hong Kong Customs, Abu Dhabi Customs, and the Port of Venice, Italy. For more information on AS&E products and technologies, please visit www.as-e.com.

Safe Harbor Statement. The foregoing press release contains statements concerning AS&E’s financial performance, markets and business operations that may be considered "forward-looking” under applicable securities laws. AS&E wishes to caution readers of this press release that actual results might differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements contained herein include the following: significant reductions, delays or cancellations (in full or in part) in procurements of the Company’s systems by the United States and other governments; disruption in the supply of any source component incorporated into AS&E's products; litigation seeking to restrict the use of intellectual property used by the Company; limitations under certain laws on the Company’s ability to protect its own intellectual property; potential product liability claims against the Company; global political trends and events which affect public perception of the threat presented by drugs, explosives and other contraband; global economic developments and the ability of governments and private organizations to fund purchases of the Company’s products to address such threats; the potential insufficiency of Company resources, including human resources, capital, plant and equipment and management systems, to accommodate any future growth; technical problems and other delays that could impact new product development and the Company’s ability to adapt to changes in technology and customer requirements; competitive pressures; lengthy sales cycles both in United States government procurement and procurement abroad; and future delays in federal funding. These and certain other factors which might cause actual results to differ materially from those projected are detailed from time to time in AS&E’s periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which important factors are incorporated herein by reference. AS&E undertakes no obligation to update forward looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or changes in future operating results, financial condition or business over time. Readers are further advised to review the "Risk Factors” set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, which further detail and supplement the factors described in this Safe Harbor Statement. Among other disclosures, the Risk Factors disclose risks pertaining to that portion of the Company’s business that is dependent on United States government contracting as well as international customers. As a contractor with the United States government, a significant number of the Company’s government contracts may be terminated at the government’s discretion.