TEWKSBURY, Mass., July 21, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Three missile defense radars built by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) performed successfully in the latest flight test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency July 18.

"The FTX-03 mission successfully demonstrated the integration of missile defense sensors required to support an interceptor engagement," said Pete Franklin, vice president, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems National & Theater Security Programs. "Raytheon's radars operated with other Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) components and collected valuable mission data, significantly reducing risk for future flight tests."

During the mission, which demonstrated a simulated intercept of a live target, the AN/TPY-2 radar at Juneau, Alaska, acquired a boosting target launched from Kodiak, Alaska, using a cue based on data generated from satellite sensors. The AN/TPY-2 tracked the target during its initial boost phase through ballistic flight, cued the Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and demonstrated interoperability with multiple Ballistic Missile Defense System elements.

The UEWR successfully acquired, tracked and classified the target system, providing data to the GMD system and achieving all mission objectives.

The Raytheon-built X-Band Radar (XBR), aboard the Boeing-developed Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) vessel, acquired the target complex via a cue formulated from the AN/TPY-2 and UEWR radar data and provided track and discrimination data to the GMD system, which directed the simulated engagement.

The XBR success in this mission was critical preparation for the FTG-05 flight test to be conducted later this year in which XBR will be the primary radar for all engagement decisions.

Raytheon Company is the prime contractor for the AN/TPY-2 radar, which provides a common capability enabling both a forward-based mode and a terminal mode in support of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The AN/TPY-2 is a phased array, capable of search, threat detection, classification, discrimination and precision tracking at extremely long ranges.

Developed by Raytheon, the UEWRs add missile defense capabilities to the Raytheon-developed PAVE PAWS and Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radars, while continuing their missile warning and space surveillance missions. XBR, built by Raytheon Company, provides missile tracking, discrimination and hit assessment to the GMD portion of the BMDS.

The Boeing Company is the prime contractor for the GMD element of the BMDS and the SBX and UEWR at Beale Air Force Base.

Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security.

Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86 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 a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide.

  Contact:
  Maureen Heard
  339.645.6664

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Maureen Heard of Raytheon Company, +1-339-645-6664

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/