WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army completed the M982 type classification of Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Excalibur Block Ia-2. By designating Excalibur Block Ia-2 the M982, the U.S. Army is accepting Excalibur Ia-2 for service use and taking the next step toward production and deployment.

Excalibur Ia-2 enhances Excalibur Ia-1 by increasing the range from 23 to 40 km (14.3 to 25.9 statute miles) when fired from U.S. howitzers. Excalibur Ia-2 is projected to reach full rate production in 2011.

"Excalibur is the only long-range precision solution immediately available to the widely dispersed brigades in theater," said Lt. Col. Mike Milner, U.S. Army Excalibur product manager. "Completing this critical milestone brings us closer to delivering the next phase of Excalibur to our warfighters."

Excalibur is a 155 mm precision-guided artillery round with extended range; it provides accurate, first-round, fire-for-effect capability in an urban setting. Excalibur is considered a true precision weapon, landing at a radial miss distance well within 10 meters (32.8 feet) of the target.

"The combat-proven Excalibur's precision is measured by its miss distance from the target," said Jim Riley, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Land Combat. "Excalibur Ia-2's precision gives warfighters the confidence to conduct missions in close proximity to friendly forces and avoid collateral damage."

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 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 88 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 75,000 people worldwide.

SOURCE Raytheon Company