EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ESSEX CONTACT:                                        COHEN SPECIALISTS CONTACT:
Leonard Moodispaw                                     Perry Peregoy
President                                             President
301.939.7000                                          201.897.7400

             ESSEX CORPORATION LISTED ON THE AMERICAN STOCK EXCHANGE
                     SHARES WILL TRADE UNDER THE SYMBOL EYW

COLUMBIA,  MD - June 4, 2003 - Trading of shares of the Essex Corporation on the
American  Stock  Exchange  (Amex) will begin at the market opening on Wednesday,
June 4, 2003  under the  symbol  "EYW".  Essex is an  established  innovator  in
optical and signal  processing  with a thriving  business  that includes a solid
revenue stream and strong growth. The Company has selected Cohen Specialists LLC
to be responsible for trading the Company's common stock on the Amex.

Leonard E. Moodispaw,  President and CEO, stated,  "We are quite pleased to join
the  American  Stock  Exchange.  We chose  Amex  because  of their  demonstrated
commitment  to the  success  of their  listed  companies,  including  the use of
leading edge  technology to enhance  trading  reliability  and  efficiency.  The
unique  nature of the  auction  market--liquidity,  narrower  spreads  and lower
volatility--is  ideally suited for Essex now. This listing achieves an important
milestone  in our  strategy  for  delivering  continued  financial  success  and
accelerated  growth,  and ensuring our  shareholders the stability of a national
exchange.  It also  provides  both the  visibility  and the  access  that are of
paramount importance to large institutional investors."

Investors  holding Essex stock need take no action as the stock  conversion will
occur automatically.

ABOUT ESSEX:  Founded in 1969 with  headquarters in Columbia,  MD, Essex creates
solutions  for today's most  advanced  signal and image  processing  challenges,
serving  commercial,  defense and intelligence  customers.  For more information
contact  Essex  Corporation,  9150  Guilford  Road,  Columbia  MD  21046;  Phone
301.939.7000;  Fax  301.953.7880;  E-mail  info@essexcorp.com,  or on the Web at
WWW.ESSEXCORP.COM.

THIS PRESS RELEASE  CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS  WITHIN THE MEANING OF
SECTION 27A OF THE  SECURITIES  ACT OF 1933 AND  SECTION  21E OF THE  SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934. THE COMPANY'S ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER  MATERIALLY FROM
THOSE DISCUSSED IN OR IMPLIED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS.  FACTORS THAT
MIGHT CAUSE SUCH DIFFERENCES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE ABILITY OF ESSEX
CORPORATION  TO  RAISE  NECESSARY   DEVELOPMENT   FUNDS,  ENTER  INTO  STRATEGIC
RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS,  DEVELOP AND BUILD OPTOELECTRONICS
DEVICES  AND  PROTECT  AND  DEFEND ITS  INTELLECTUAL  PROPERTY,  AND  CHANGES IN
TECHNOLOGY,  TECHNICAL  OBSOLESCENCE,  CHANGES IN  CUSTOMER  NEEDS,  NEW PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENTS,  COMPETITIVE  FACTORS IN THE  INDUSTRY AND  UNCERTAINTY  OF MARKET
ACCEPTANCE.   ESSEX   CORPORATION   ASSUMES   NO   OBLIGATION   TO  UPDATE   ANY
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS,  WHETHER  AS A RESULT  OF NEW  INFORMATION,  FUTURE
EVENTS OR OTHERWISE.

                                     # # # #