Raytheon to be Prime Contractor on Radar Common Data Link Program

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Raytheon to be Prime Contractor on Radar Common Data Link Program
    EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jan. 11, 2007 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company
(NYSE: RTN) has won a $9.7 million contract from the U.S. Air Force
Research Laboratory to design and develop the next-generation wideband
common data link for active electronically scanned array radar systems.
    The objective of the Radar Common Data Link program is to enable
tactical assets such as combat aircraft to quickly pass on non-traditional
ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) data to users in the
military and intelligence communities.
    "The Radar Common Data Link program will provide fast tactical
communications in the battlespace," said Nick Uros, vice president for the
Advanced Concepts and Technology group of Raytheon Space and Airborne
Systems. "But perhaps even more significant, it also can serve as a
linchpin for a network-centric warfare environment linking various computer
and communication systems to ensure that timely, secure and accurate
information is available to a wide range of military users."
    Raytheon has developed and deployed AESA radar systems for the Air
Force F-15 and the Navy F/A-18. The Air Force also employs the company's
AESA technology in radar systems for the B-2 and the F-22A.
    The five-year program calls for Raytheon to develop specifications and
open-standards interfaces for a radar common data link to determine how it
would operate with current and future AESA systems, to formulate concepts
of operations with the Air Force, and to demonstrate feasibility.
    The Department of Defense considers the program especially significant
to non-traditional ISR tactical fighter missions. Air crews could use
wide-band communication links to transfer imagery and other high-bandwidth
information to and from AESA-equipped tactical, surveillance and bomber
aircraft.
    "A high-speed communication capability for tactical platforms without
the addition of a radio unit or alteration of the airframe represents a
cost- effective proposition," Uros said. "Providing the modern warfighter
with the ability to publish time-critical information products to users on
the global information grid offers exceptional transformational capability
today."
    Raytheon is teamed with L-3 Communications and Boeing on the program.
L-3 will provide experience with common data link waveforms. Boeing is the
platform partner for integration of the AESA technology on the F-15 and
F/A-18 aircraft.
    Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems is the leading provider of sensor
systems giving military forces the most accurate and timely information
available for the network-centric battlefield. With 2005 revenues of $4.2
billion and 13,000 employees, SAS is headquartered in El Segundo, Calif.
Additional facilities are in Goleta, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; Dallas,
McKinney and Plano, Texas; and several international locations.
    Raytheon Company, with 2005 sales of $21.9 billion, is an industry
leader in defense and government electronics, space, information
technology, technical services and business and special-mission aircraft.
With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people
worldwide.
    Contact:
    Art Bentley
    310.647.3266
SOURCE Raytheon Company
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Art Bentley, +1-310-647-3266, for Raytheon
Company