EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)
has been awarded a $22 million contract initiating the B-2 radar Pathfinder
program. This is the first phase of a multiyear program that will retrofit
the B-2 Bomber fleet with a new Ku Band active array radar antenna.
The total program value to Raytheon is approximately $575 million,
including the remaining development work and the upcoming production contract.
The majority of the radar work will be done in El Segundo, Calif., and Dallas,
Texas. Raytheon will perform as the primary subcontractor to Northrop Grumman
Corporation.
"This contract is the culmination of an extraordinary team effort between
Raytheon, Northrop Grumman and the Air Force," said Jack Kelble, president of
Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business. "Raytheon is gratified to be
upgrading the radar we developed for the B-2 with a new active array."
During this contracting phase, Raytheon will perform preliminary engineering
design for a Ku Band Active Electronically Scanned Antenna (AESA) for the B-2
fleet. This initial phase extends to June of 2003.
The effort on the B-2 radar upgrade began last year with a study contract
defining two alternatives the government could pursue to change the radar
operating frequency while remaining within the existing frequency band. The
U.S. Air Force stated it chose the AESA option because of the inherent
reliability and growth potential it offered.
Raytheon has produced airborne radar for most of the US tactical fighters
and bombers, including the AN/APQ-181 radar on the B-2. Raytheon produced the
first operational airborne AESA, which is in operation in a squadron of F-15s
in Alaska. The next-generation AESA, Raytheon's APG-79 for the F/A-18, is
scheduled for flight test in June 2003. Raytheon is also adapting AESA
technology to surveillance and reconnaissance platforms and unmanned combat
aerial vehicles.
Raytheon Company's Space and Airborne Systems business is a $3 billion
world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of advanced
electronic systems for precision strike; missile defense; and intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance applications. Key capabilities include
electro-optical/infrared sensors, airborne radars, space-qualified systems,
solid state and high energy lasers, precision guidance systems, and electronic
warfare systems. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., Space and Airborne
Systems has 9,300 employees and additional facilities in Goleta, Calif.;
Forest, Miss.; and Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon Company is a global
technology leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, and
business and special mission aircraft.
Contact:
Sabrina Steele
310.334.0505
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
Sabrina Steele for Raytheon Company,
+1-310-334-0505
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