The electronic, optical and mechanical properties of AlAs, InAs and their mixed crystals Al 1−x In x As are studied within the empirical pseudopotential approach under the virtual crystal approximation. To make allowance for the compositional disorder, a correction to the alloy potential has been introduced. The results are presented and compared where possible with other calculations and experimental data. The composition dependence of the selected features of Al 1−x In x As, such as energy band gaps, valence bandwidth, refractive index, dielectric constants, elastic constants and Young's modulus has been examined. All studied band parameters are found to vary monotonically with x. In agreement with experimental data, an indirect to direct band gap crossover is found to occur at x ≈ 0.35.