WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., Dec. 23, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- NetFires LLC, a joint venture between Raytheon Company and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, completed the third guided test flight of the Non Line-of-Sight-Launch System's Precision Attack Missile.

"The PAM missile, launched from a container launch unit, used the fire-and-forget uncooled imaging infrared seeker to score a direct hit against a stationary T-72 tank," said Scott Speet, executive vice president of NetFires LLC and Raytheon's NLOS-LS program director.

The test demonstrated the PAM seeker's ability to autonomously detect and acquire the target. The missile used its onboard automatic target acquisition to detect and acquire the intended target in an array of other vehicles.

"This has been a great three weeks for the NLOS-LS team," said Col. Doug Dever, the U.S. Army's NLOS-LS project manager. "This test validates the dual mode seeker. Using an uncooled imaging infrared seeker is a first for an Army missile."

The PAM missile, while guiding to its intended target, joined the network with its onboard radio, sent back a terminal target image during the flight and operated as a node on the net throughout the flight.

"This is one more major step toward providing a revolutionary capability to our soldiers," said Anne Johnson, NetFires LLC president and Lockheed Martin NLOS-LS program director. "Guided Test Vehicle-3 marks the third time the NLOS-LS CLU was used in a flight test of the PAM missile."

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.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

Note to Editors:

The NLOS-LS is one of the 14 Future Combat Systems core systems. As part of the FCS systems-of-systems, the NLOS-LS will meet the requirements of the Army's future brigade combat teams by providing increased capability for the current force's modular BCT (Brigade Combat Team).

NLOS-LS provides the brigade commander with immediate, precise and responsive fires on high-payoff targets with real-time target acquisition and battle effects. It is also one of the key littoral combat ship mission modules.

Compared to systems with equivalent firepower, the NLOS-LS provides a modular, persistent, responsive, networked and rapidly deployable precision-strike capability against moving and stationary targets.

    Contacts:

    Lockheed Martin
    John Smith
    972.603.1157

    Raytheon
    Heather Uberuaga
    520.665.5594

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

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

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