TEWKSBURY, Mass., Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy achieved a critical milestone with the successful testing of the Next Generation Navigation System (NAVDDX) produced by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), prime contractor for mission systems equipment for the DDG 1000-class destroyer.

NAVDDX is a modern open architecture solution for distributing navigation and high-precision time data to ship mission systems. The open architecture design provides the flexibility and commonality to be easily integrated into the DDG 1000 class and other ship platforms, including new construction and modernization programs.

System development was a highly successful joint effort between Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) and the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, Calif., through a private party sales agreement.

"This is another example of the rigorous testing strategy that is built into the DDG 1000 development program," said Raytheon IDS' Bill Marcley, vice president of Total Ship Mission Systems and DDG 1000 program manager. "With each milestone, we continue our progress toward delivering proven and reliable capabilities to the sailors of the U.S. Navy fleet."

"NAVDDX is the product of a successful government-industry partnership," said Pete Shaw, deputy, Marine Navigation Division, Space and Naval Warfare System Command. "Together, we are delivering the most advanced, mission-critical combat-support positioning, navigation and timing system available today."

The DDG 1000-class destroyer is the latest evolution in warfighting technology for surface combatant ships, providing unmatched capability to the U.S. Navy. The DDG 1000-class destroyer's advancements can be incorporated into future and modernized platforms. The benefits of DDG 1000's systems reuse potential across the fleet are already being realized, including the application of the Dual Band Radar for the new Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN 78) as well as the application of the Total Ship Computing Environment infrastructure for the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS San Antonio (LPD 17) technology refresh efforts. The systems and software engineering approach used on DDG 1000 yields an open architecture well suited for capability enhancements to counter emerging threats.

Work on this system is performed at Raytheon IDS' Expeditionary Warfare Center, San Diego, Calif., and at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific facilities in San Diego.

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