TUCSON, Ariz., March 17, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air Force accepted delivery of Raytheon Company's first Miniature Air Launched Decoy low rate initial production unit.

"The warfighter now has an incredible new capability thanks to the hard work of hundreds of Raytheon employees, suppliers, dedicated Air Force civil servants, uniformed service members and support personnel," said Ken Watson, the U.S. Air Force's MALD™ program manager. "MALD will work in concert with other electronic warfare assets as part of a system of systems to shape the electronic warfare battlespace and ensure our aviators and their coalition partners return home safely to their loved ones."

MALD protects aircrews and their aircraft by duplicating the combat flight profiles and signatures of U.S. and allied aircraft. MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles).

"With this first delivery under our belts, Raytheon is on track to meet the U.S. Air Force's required asset availability date of March 2010," said Harry Schulte, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air Warfare Systems. "We're committed to on-time delivery, since the warfighter is counting on us to provide them with the flexibility and capability inherent in MALD."

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 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 73,000 people worldwide.

Note to Editors:

In November 2008, Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine named Raytheon's MALD the winner of the 2008 Program Excellence Award in System Research and Development.

More than 125 Raytheon employees design and build the MALD and MALD-J in Tucson, Ariz., Goleta, Calif., and El Segundo, Calif.

Hundreds of employees in scores of businesses across the U.S. design and manufacture MALD and MALD-J components. Major suppliers include: AUSCO, Port Washington, N.Y.; BAE, Berthoud, Colo.; CEI, Sacramento, Calif.; Celestica, Austin, Texas; Eagle Pitcher, Joplin, Mo.; EDO, Bohemia, N.Y.; Enser, Pinellas Park, Fla.; Engineered Fabrics Corp, Rockmart, Ga.; GDOTS, Redmond, Wash.; Hamilton-Sundstrand, Rockford, Ill.; Hamilton-Sundstrand, San Diego; LaBarge, Joplin, Mo.; Moog, East Aurora, N.Y.; Tecom, Westlake Village, Calif.

    Contact:
    Mike Nachshen
    520.794.4088 - office
    520.269.5697 - mobile
    Michael_nachshen@raytheon.com

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

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

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