SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                          Date of Report: July 23, 2003



                                ESSEX CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)



Commission File No.  0-10772


         Virginia                                                  54-0846569
(State or other jurisdiction of                         (IRS Employer ID No.)
incorporation or organization)



         9150 Guilford Road
         Columbia, Maryland                                        21046-2306
(Address of principal executive office)                            (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code:            (301) 939-7000





                                ESSEX CORPORATION



ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

    (c)   Exhibits

          99.1   Press Release dated July 23, 2003, issued by Essex Corporation.

ITEM 9. REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

         The following  information is furnished pursuant to Item 9, "Regulation
FD Disclosure"  and Item 12,  "Disclosure of Results of Operations and Financial
Condition."
         On July 23, 2003, Essex Corporation  issued a press release  announcing
its  financial  results  for the first half ended June 29,  2003.  A copy of the
Registrant's  press  release  is  attached  hereto as  Exhibit  99.1 and  hereby
incorporated  by reference.  The information in this Form 8-K is being furnished
under Item 9 and Item 12 and shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the  purposes
of Section 18 of the Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange  Act"),
or  otherwise  subject  to the  liabilities  of such  section,  nor  shall  such
information  be  deemed  incorporated  by  reference  in any  filing  under  the
Securities  Act of 1933 or the Exchange  Act,  except as shall be expressly  set
forth by specific reference in such a filing.


                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                            ESSEX CORPORATION
                                            (Registrant)


                                            /S/ JOSEPH R. KURRY, JR.
                                            ---------------------------------
DATE:  July 23, 2003                        Joseph R. Kurry, Jr.
                                            Sr. Vice President, Treasurer and
                                            Chief Financial Officer






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
NUMBER          DESCRIPTION



99.1            Press Release dated July 23, 2003, issued by Essex Corporation.