CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon BBN Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), has been awarded $1.9 million in defense research funding to develop safeguards for military Internet communications abroad.

The award, issued by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is in support of the Safer Warfighter Communications program, or SAFER. The goal of SAFER is to develop technology that enables protected, resilient Internet communications for warfighters deployed overseas.

Raytheon BBN Technologies proposes a solution that incorporates several innovative approaches, including novel routing and packet delivery techniques and new methods to increase security.

"Raytheon BBN Technologies is focused on developing capabilities that will thwart intense Internet traffic monitoring and protect our warfighters' communications while abroad," said Josh Karlin, project lead, Raytheon BBN Technologies. "Our new technology for SAFER will support applications such as instant messaging, electronic mail, social networking, streaming video, Voice over Internet Protocol, video conferencing, and other media."

Raytheon Company, with 2010 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 89 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.

SOURCE Raytheon Company