MCKINNEY, Texas, Dec. 16, 2004  /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company has
delivered the first low rate initial production (LRIP) Army Airborne Command
and Control System (A2C2S) to the U.S. Army.

    A2C2S prototypes have supported the Army's 4th Infantry Division (ID) in
Iraq for more than a year and the 3rd ID since May 2004.  During 17 months of
combat duty, the A2C2S flying command posts logged thousands of mission hours
to assist warfighters and peacekeepers overseas.  Despite operating in the
harshest combat environments, the command and control (C2) systems exceeded
their performance and reliability requirements.

    "With more than 3,000 operational hours-2,000 of them in combat-A2C2S is
performing extremely well," said Brian McKeon, vice president of Raytheon
Command and Control Systems.

    The system's performance in combat confirmed its production readiness.  As
a result, Raytheon will manufacture five LRIP systems and two A-kits for EUH-
60 helicopters.  The company anticipates that additional A2C2S systems will be
funded in fiscal year 2005; approximately 120 systems could be fielded to the
Army during the program's lifetime.

    A2C2S equips selected Army UH-60L Blackhawk helicopters with a mission
equipment package that transforms them into airborne command posts. The system
enables commanders and their staffs-at brigade, division and above-to maintain
digital command, control and communication while moving through the
battlespace at 120 miles per hour.  Called "C2 on-the-move," the new
capability allows commanders to go wherever they are needed and maintain
complete C2 capability.

    The system supports digitized and non-digitized forces in all operational
scenarios including large scale mechanized operations, smaller scale special
operations and homeland defense applications.  A parallel A2C2S effort called
Homeland Defense Module links civilian emergency first responders to National
Guard and active military forces that are involved in disaster response and
homeland security missions.  A proof of design demonstration phase began in
November 2004.  Raytheon expects the first prototype to be completed in 2005.
Subsequent A2C2S systems will be integrated into platforms while they are on
the Army's assembly line.

    Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2003 sales of $18.1 billion, is an
industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information
technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft.
With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 78,000 people worldwide.

    Note to editors:

    Raytheon employees in Huntsville, Ala., design and develop A2C2S;
employees in Ft. Wayne, Ind., provide a significant portion of A2C2S's
communications system.

  Contact:
   Patricia Perlini
   972.952.4033


SOURCE: Raytheon Company



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