WASHINGTON, D.C., March 11, 2002 - Lockheed Martin today announced the addition of Bantu, Inc. to its Global Combat Support System - Air Force (GCSS-AF) Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) federal government contract. As part of this program, Lockheed Martin provides the procurement vehicle for the U.S. Air Force to purchase the Bantu Instant Messaging (IM) & Presence Platform and associated services.

"We're pleased to include Bantu among our group of approved suppliers, especially because the U.S. Air Force has expressed specific interest to us in Bantu's secure IM solution, " said Daniel Davis, program manager for the Lockheed Martin GCSS-AF ID/IQ contract. "Adding Bantu to our contract vehicle enables the U.S. Air Force technology buyers to conveniently purchase this software as needed. "

Bantu integrates presence (the ability to see who's online) and instant messaging (real-time text communication) into virtually any software or Web-based service. Already established in the military community, the Bantu IM & Presence Platform was selected by the U.S. Army in July 2001 for the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) portal that currently has over 1 million users, and is expected to have over 3 million by 2003.

With its unique security features, including patent-pending encryption, Bantu will enable U.S. Air Force users to instantly and confidentially communicate with colleagues worldwide. With Bantu, for example, a U.S. Air Force jet mechanic in Germany seeking an out-of-stock part could quickly scan his or her directory of logistics contacts to see who's online, instantly polling them to obtain the part from the best available location.

"Bantu's IM platform can save the Air Force time and money while ensuring state-of-the art, secure communication," said Larry Schlang, President and CEO of Bantu. "Speed and efficiency are more essential than ever -- in the military, corporations, and other large organizations. IM is now demonstrating its unique value as a complement to phones, e-mail and other daily communication tools."

U.S. Air Force organizations interested in the Bantu IM & Presence Platform can visit Lockheed Martin's GCSS-AF ID/IQ site at http://gcssaf.idiq.com or contact Rob Shaughnessy at Bantu, (202) 828-1320.

About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The corporation's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics, and technology services.

About Bantu, Inc.: \ban' too\ 1 : Ancient root language of the African people; 2 : Washington, D.C.-based leader in secure, business-grade Instant Messaging and Presence solutions. The Bantu IM & Presence Platform enhances communication and collaboration in industries such as financial services, telecommunications, government and education. Bantu is secure, platform-independent, interoperable, and it easily integrates into any application or service. Bantu's customers and partners include Blackboard, Citrix, The George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, SAIC, Sprint and the U.S. Army. (www.bantu.com)