FORT WAYNE, Ind., Nov. 28, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company has
demonstrated that a new personal computer application, the PDA 184, eliminates
the need for deployed troops to download e-mail files to a disc and hand-carry
them from one type of military radio to another. The practice, called "boot
mail," is a work-around that troops employ to overcome interoperability
problems among ultra high frequency (UHF) radios that deliver their e-mail to
the field.
The PDA 184, developed by the Defense Information Systems Agency and
successfully integrated by Raytheon, bridges the gap between the radios and
two e-mail software applications -- the military's V-Mail and Microsoft
Outlook -- which are hosted by military UHF radios today. Using the PDA 184,
currently fielded UHF radios interoperate seamlessly, deliver e-mail directly
to troops' computers and make "boot mail" unnecessary.
In recent field tests at Hurlburt Field, Fla., the PDA 184 successfully
linked a variety of joint military service UHF radios, including Raytheon's
AN/PSC-5C, AN/PSC-5D and AN/ARC-231 Skyfire. The PDA 184 also resolved
interoperability issues that stemmed from incompatible communication
waveforms. In side-by-side comparisons with a proprietary waveform, the PDA
184 delivered e-mail and other files four times faster. The proprietary
waveform also failed to support radio interoperability.
"When we log onto our personal computers, we expect the e-mail to be
there," said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Integrated Communication Systems.
"We don't want to hand-carry e-mail from one computer to another and neither
do our troops. The PDA 184 is a mission solution that solves the 'boot mail'
problem."
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.
Note to editors:
* Hurlburt Field is located near Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
* The commercial high-performance proprietary waveform was used by some
military units, but it provided no interoperability among various standard
military radios.
Contact:
MB Hodgkiss
508.490.2607
SOURCE Raytheon Company
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Related links:
http://www.raytheon.com
CONTACT:
MB Hodgkiss of Raytheon Company,
+1-508-490-2607
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