LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) components played key roles in the fourth
consecutive successful intercept system test of the Ground-based Midcourse
Defense (GMD) system conducted today over the central Pacific Ocean.
This test, designated Integrated Flight Test-9 (IFT-9), is the sixth
consecutive successful missile defense test for Raytheon's Ground-based
Midcourse Defense and Sea-based Midcourse programs in the past 15 months,
further demonstrating the company's "hit-to-kill" capabilities.
"Raytheon continues to demonstrate that it is the 'hit-to-kill' company
and a key player in the nation's missile defense programs," said William H.
Swanson, president of Raytheon Company. "Teamed with Boeing, Lockheed Martin
and TRW, we have dedicated our efforts to overcome the technical challenges
and to make an integrated missile defense system a reality for our nation."
In today's test, all Raytheon GMD components performed exceptionally. The
PAVE PAWS Early Warning Radar (EWR) located at Beale Air Force Base, Calif.,
provided early target detection and mid-course target tracking while the
Ground Based Radar-Prototype (GBR-P), located at the Ronald Reagan Missile
Test Facility at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands,
provided real-time operations as the test's fire control radar. GBR-P provided
precision tracking, target discrimination, target-object-mapping and the kill
assessment for this test.
The Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), launched from Kwajalein Atoll in
the Marshall Islands, successfully selected, intercepted and destroyed the
surrogate reentry vehicle target at an altitude of about 140 miles and closing
velocities in excess of 15,000 miles per hour.
This test further demonstrated the system's component integration and
functionality. It was the sixth integrated flight test to use the Raytheon
PAVE PAWS EWR and GBR-P in operational modes. The participating PAVE PAWS
radar is one of five EWRs that will be upgraded to improve track accuracy,
search capability, and object classification. The GBR-P is the current testbed
radar for the GMD system. Raytheon is under a new contract to begin
development of a Test X-Band Radar (XBR), a larger and more capable radar.
The EKV is currently under development at Raytheon's Missile Systems
business in Tucson, Ariz. The company's Integrated Defense Systems business
based in Tewksbury, Mass., developed the PAVE PAWS and Ballistic Missile Early
Warning System (BMEWS) radar upgrades as well as the GBR-P for the GMD system
test program. The IDS business also is developing the testbed XBR on a semi-
submersible platform for the Missile Defense Agency's ballistic missile
defense testbed.
The Ground-based Midcourse Defense program is managed by the Missile
Defense Agency, a Department of Defense agency headquartered in Arlington, Va.
These Raytheon programs are part of the Boeing Company-led GMD Prime
Contractor program. As the lead contractor to Boeing for the EKV, Raytheon
currently is under contract to provide 25 vehicles in support of the GMD
flight test program. Raytheon is delivering three vehicles to Boeing this year
in support of the ongoing flight test program. A series of flight tests,
designed to incrementally test all aspects of the GMD architecture, is
scheduled to continue throughout the initial contract period that extends
through 2007.
Raytheon also supports Sea-based Midcourse and Terminal Defense, provides
the Ground-Based Radar component and the ground-based battle
management/command and control (BMC3) shelter groups for the Theater High-
altitude Area Defense program. The Patriot Air and Missile Defense system
continues to be the cornerstone for theater ballistic missile defense.
Raytheon is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the PAC-3 program
and continues to provide the Patriot System for many U.S. and Allied forces.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company is a global technology
leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, and business and
special mission aircraft.
Notes to Editors:
(1) The EKV has its own infrared seeker, propulsion, communications,
discrimination algorithms, guidance and control system, and computers
to support target selection and intercept decisions in the end game of
the intercept mission. The EKV is the intercept component of the
Ground Based Interceptor, the weapon element of the planned GMD
system. Raytheon is completing transition of payload assembly from its
engineering laboratory to its world-class EKV manufacturing facility.
(2) The GBR-P is the prototype fire control radar for the GMD mission. It
provides real-time operational data that is integrated with the EKV
and GBMC3 for precision target discrimination, target-object-mapping
and kill assessment in support of the integrated test program. The
radar system design leverages Raytheon's theater missile defense radar
technology developed for the Theater High-altitude Area Defense
program.
(3) Raytheon Company also is supporting the nation's missile defense with
its STANDARD Missile-3 (SM-3) which scored successful hits in Sea-
based Midcourse Missile Defense test flights in January and June of
this year. Raytheon is developing the High Power Discriminator for
integration with SM-3 on Aegis ships. The company is upgrading Cobra
Dane on Shemya Island as part of the MDA's testbed program.
Contacts:
For EKV
Sara Hammond, (520) 794-7810
For GBR-P, PAVE PAWS
Steve Brecken, (781) 999-2222
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Sara Hammond For EKV, +1-520-794-7810; or
Steve Brecken For GBR-P, PAVE PAWS, +1-781-999-2222
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