TUCSON, Ariz., June 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy and Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) completed operational testing and evaluation live fires of the AIM-9X® Sidewinder Block II infrared air-to-air missile. Testing and evaluation consisted of 16 planned shots against a mix of full-scale and sub-scale targets. The U.S. government is now finalizing approval, acceptance and delivery of Block II missiles to the U.S. services and foreign allies for later this year.

"The AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II builds upon the proven reliability of Block I with significant advancements that improve handling, loading, in-flight safety and most importantly the ability to acquire, track and destroy an adversary," said Captain Jim Stoneman, PMA-259 Air-to-Air Missiles Program Office, which led development of the Block II missile.

The new AIM-9X missile retains all of Block I's dogfighting capabilities and continues to deliver the "First Look, First Shot, First Kill" capability. It has new processors in the guidance section and a new fuze that includes a weapon datalink, which can enable the missile to lock-on-after-launch. Future missile software updates will be able to further expand missile capabilities as the speed and increased memory capacity of the new processors are leveraged.

"The development of AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II now brings the warfighter two very important missile capabilities," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice president.  "First, they have rapid, high off-boresight acquisition to enable the first firing opportunity in a hard-turning visual dogfight. Second, the pilot can now extend their reach through the use of aircraft sensors and weapon datalink to engage with Sidewinder missiles well before the initial merge to help ensure the survival and triumph of our warfighters."

About AIM-9X

• AIM-9X is a U.S. Navy-led, joint Navy and U.S. Air Force program, with program offices in Patuxent River, Md., and Tucson, Ariz.
• Raytheon has more than 13 years producing AIM-9X missiles.
• AIM-9X entered operational service in 2003; international deliveries began in 2005.
• AIM-9X Block I has been delivered to nine U.S. allies with seven new Block II customers signed up for deliveries beginning in 2015.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.

Media Contact
Ashley Mehl
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SOURCE Raytheon Company