TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 8, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)
is helping transform U.S. warfighting capabilities by delivering a short-range
millimeter wave directed energy non-lethal weapon to the Department of
Defense's Full Spectrum Effects Platform (FSEP) program -- also known as
Project Sheriff -- for the Office of Force Transformation (OFT).
OFT, in partnership with the U.S. Army's Futures Center and the Naval
Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), is developing an operational prototype to
provide forces fighting in complex urban environments with new options and a
combination of lethal and non-lethal capabilities in responding to threats. By
developing an operational package of vehicles that can be quickly outfitted
and deployed in active operations, OFT will provide combat forces the
opportunity to more quickly test tactics, techniques and procedures for new
urban combat capabilities.
Applying streamlined processes and rapid prototyping tools to meet OFT's
transformational rapid reaction goals, Raytheon Missile Systems designed,
developed, fabricated and delivered the combat-hardened, non-lethal system for
Sheriff in less than six months. An integrated Raytheon product team
instituted innovative parallel scheduling in delivering the product on time
and on budget successfully, while still adhering to a thorough quality review
process.
"Raytheon is doing its part to rapidly transition desperately needed
technologies from industry into the hands of the warfighter," said Mike Booen,
vice president of Advanced Missile Defense and Directed Energy Weapons at
Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Ariz. "This system will protect U.S. and
allied warfighters operating in dangerous urban settings while reducing the
number of civilian casualties."
The breakthrough non-lethal capability Raytheon has delivered to FSEP will
stop, delay, deter, and turn back an adversary. It is intended to save lives
by reducing unnecessary casualties and collateral injuries. It brings new
operational flexibility and speed of light weapons to the warfighter.
In the compressed urban environment, discriminating threats from non-
threats is difficult and can require split second scalable response. The
millimeter wave energy beam can help discriminate the threat and assess the
intent of an aggressor with a temporary reversible effect whose safety has
been established and demonstrated in more than 12 years of testing by the Air
Force Research Laboratory with sponsorship from the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons
Directorate.
Raytheon is currently assisting NSWC with the integration of the short-
range non-lethal system into a Stryker combat vehicle. Vehicle testing will
take place at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Va.; Quantico, Va.;
and Yuma Proving Grounds, Ariz., before the system is turned over to officials
at the Infantry Center at Ft. Benning, Ga.
Raytheon Company, with 2004 sales of $20.2 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:
Alan D. Fischer
520.794.1211
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Alan D. Fischer of Raytheon Company,
+1-520-794-1211
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