GOLETA, Calif., Oct. 16, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has received a $24.3 million contract for continued production of its ALE-50 line of towed decoys.

The award by the U.S. Air Force Warner Robins Air Logistics Center represents the 12th production lot of ALE-50 equipment ordered for the Air Force and Navy. The contract calls for 799 decoys for the Air Force and 249 for the Navy to be delivered through October 2010.

"The tradition of success of our towed decoy product line continues," said Roy Azevedo, manager of Raytheon's Electronic Warfare business area. "Not only is ALE-50's operational performance unequaled, our record of on-time production is a model for program execution."

Production of ALE-50 equipment began in December 1996. Raytheon recently produced its 23,000th ALE-50 decoy and has achieved 12 years of on-time deliveries. Completion of the Lot 12 program will bring the total number of decoys produced by Raytheon to 25,682.

Towed decoy systems enhance aircraft survivability by acting as a preferential target for many types of missiles. Raytheon's ALE-50 system has played a key role in aircraft self-protection for several military conflicts and is currently operational on F-16, B-1B and F/A-18 aircraft.

Work on the towed decoy system is being done at the company's Space and Airborne Systems business at its Tactical Airborne Systems facility in Goleta, Calif.

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:
  Ron Colman
  805.879.2041

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Ron Colman, Raytheon Company, +1-805-879-2041

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