A high speed pneumatic valve has a housing enclosing a cavity with an inlet port and an outlet port. A permanently magnetized armature is located in the cavity. The permanently magnetized armature moves between a first, open position and a second, closed position. A coil and magnetic core assembly is located near the armature in the housing. A first voltage applied across the coil results in a magnetic field with a first polarity being induced in the magnetic core thereby attracting the armature toward the magnetic core and away from the outlet port. A second voltage applied across the coil results in a magnetic field with a second, opposite polarity being induced in the magnetic core thereby repelling the armature away from the magnetic core and toward the outlet port.
