EXHIBIT (a)(ix)




CRANE CO.                                                                NEWS
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Contact:
                                             -------
                                             Pamela Styles
                                             Director, Investor Relations and
                                             Strategic Planning
                                             203-363-7352
                                             www.craneco.com


           CRANE CO. ANNOUNCES EXPIRATION OF HART-SCOTT-RODINO WAITING
            PERIOD FOR ITS PENDING ACQUISITION OF SIGNAL TECHNOLOGY
                                  CORPORATION

         STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - May 20, 2003 - Crane Co. (NYSE:CR) announced
today the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act applicable to its pending acquisition of Signal Technology
Corporation (NASD: STCO).

         As previously announced, Crane Co. and Signal Technology Corporation
entered into a merger agreement pursuant to which an indirect wholly owned
subsidiary of Crane Co., STC Merger Co., commenced, on April 25, 2003, an all
cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Signal
Technology Corporation at a purchase price of $13.25 net per share. The offer is
scheduled to expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Thursday, May 22,
2003, unless it is extended. The tender offer may be extended or a subsequent
offering period provided on the terms and conditions stated in the Offer to
Purchase, dated April 25, 2003, which is available from Georgeson Shareholder
Communications Inc., the Information Agent for the tender offer, at 17 State
Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10004, toll-free 800-678-9601, or from the
Securities and Exchange Commission's web site at www.sec.gov. Any extension of
the tender offer will be announced by a press release by 9:00 a.m., New York
City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration
date.

         This news release is for information purposes only. It does not
constitute an offer to purchase shares of Signal Technology Corporation or a
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement






under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
tender offer is being made only through the Offer to Purchase and the related
Letter of Transmittal. Crane Co. has filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission a Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO and Signal Technology
Corporation has filed a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9,
each of which has been amended. These documents contain important information
and security holders of Signal Technology Corporation are advised to read these
documents carefully before making any decision with respect to the tender offer.
These documents may be obtained free of charge at the Securities and Exchange
Commission's web site at www.sec.gov.

         Crane Co. is a diversified manufacturer of engineered industrial
products. Crane Co. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:CR). For more
information about Crane Co., you may visit the company's web site at
www.craneco.com.