Cray Awarded $128 Million Supercomputer Contract From the UK's Met Office

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Oct 27, 2014) - Global supercomputer leader Cray Inc. (NASDAQ: CRAY) today announced the Company has been awarded a contract to provide the Met Office in the United Kingdom with multiple Cray® XC™ supercomputers and Cray® Sonexion® storage systems. Consisting of three phases spanning multiple years, the $128 million contract expands Cray's significant presence in the global weather and climate community, and is the largest supercomputer contract ever for Cray outside of the United States.

Headquartered in Exeter, England, the Met Office is the United Kingdom's national weather service and is recognized as one of the world's most accurate forecasters. The Met Office uses more than 10 million weather observations a day and an advanced atmospheric model to create 3,000 tailored forecasts and briefings each day that are delivered to customers ranging from government, businesses, the general public, armed forces and other organizations.

In their final configurations, which will include Cray® XC40™ systems as well as next-generation Cray XC systems with current and future Intel® Xeon® processors, the Cray supercomputers at the Met Office will have 13 times more supercomputing power than its current systems. The Met Office will use its new Cray supercomputers and storage systems for operational weather prediction and climate research.

"We are very excited about this investment in UK science," said Met Office Chief Executive Rob Varley. "It will lead to a step change in weather forecasting and climate prediction, and give us the capability to strengthen our collaborations with partners in the South West, UK and around the world. The new Cray supercomputers, together with improved observations, science and modeling, will deliver better forecasts and advice to support UK business, the public and government. It will help make the UK more resilient to high impact weather and other environmental risks."

"We are truly honored that one of the most prestigious weather centers in the world has awarded us with the largest international contract in Cray's history," said Peter Ungaro, president and CEO of Cray. "The award is symbolic for Cray on a number of fronts -- it demonstrates that our systems continue to be the supercomputers of choice for production weather centers across the globe, that our close relationship with Intel is providing customers with enhanced capabilities today and into the future and it reinforces the role that Cray plays in impacting society on a daily basis in a wide range of areas. The Met Office is both a pioneer and leader in weather and climate services, and we are excited that Cray supercomputers and storage solutions will assist them in achieving their important and complex mission of informing citizens and industry how the weather and climate will affect them now and in the future."