TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 19, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company and the
NetFires Limited Liability Company (LLC), a company composed of Raytheon
Missile Systems and Lockheed Missiles and Fire Control, have selected SPARTA
Composites, Inc., teamed with San Diego Composites (SDC), as the missile
launch/shipping container provider for the Non Line of Sight-Launch System
(NLOS-LS) Precision Attack Missile (PAM).
The selection was based on an extensive competition among numerous
composite material design and manufacturing companies challenged to meet the
launch and storage performance parameters for the PAM missile. As part of the
competition, each bidder was required to participate in numerous reviews to
demonstrate its design's ability to meet the combined U.S. Army and Navy
requirements. The estimated contract value is expected to be in excess of $8
million during the system design and demonstration (SDD) phase of the program.
The PAM missile, developed under a Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) NetFires program, successfully conducted numerous end to end
flight tests during the DARPA program. That program focused on innovative
design and performance of a compact, networked, precision attack missile
vertically launched from a self contained, platform independent launcher
called the Container Launch Unit (CLU). One significant design element of the
CLU is a light-weight concentric canister that not only serves as the launch
container for the missile but also the shipping and storage container.
NLOS-LS is currently in the SDD phase of the program for the Army. Work
under this contract began in 2004. The SPARTA/SDC missile launch/shipping
container will be built, assembled and tested at the SPARTA facility in San
Diego, Calif.
"The selection of the SPARTA/SDC team for the development of the missile
launch/shipping container represents a significant milestone for the NLOS-LS
program. The team's ability to meet the diverse storage, operating and launch
environments for the PAM missile required by both the Army and Navy programs
provided each competitor with very unique challenges," said Scott Speet,
executive vice president of the NetFires LLC and Raytheon's NLOS-LS program
director. "The selection of the SPARTA/SDC is a critical step on our path for
successfully meeting our cost, performance, and schedule requirements leading
to preliminary design review of the PAM missile."
The NLOS-LS system consists of Raytheon's Precision Attack Missile (PAM),
Lockheed Martin's Loitering Attack Missile (LAM) and a joint Container Launch
Unit (CLU). In 2004, the Army accelerated fielding of the Raytheon PAM and
CLU to the Army's Evaluation Brigade combat Team into Spin Out 1 in fiscal
year 2008.
NLOS-LS provides a commander with immediate, precise and responsive fires
on high payoff targets with real time target acquisition and battle effects.
PAM is a direct attack missile that is effective against moving and stationary
targets at ranges from zero to 40 km and effective against hard and soft
targets. The missile includes a networked datalink that provides in-flight
updates to each missile with ground and airborne sensor nodes and has a multi-
mode warhead effective against both hard and soft targets.
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), 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:
Sara Hammond
520.794.7810
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Sara Hammond of Raytheon Company,
+1-520-794-7810
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