UXBRIDGE/HARLOW, England, July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon UK has been awarded a 10 million pounds Sterling (approximately $16 million), four-year contract to provide continued in-service support for both current and legacy U.K. Paveway™ Weapon Systems for the U.K. Ministry of Defence. Raytheon UK will be responsible for key support activities including configuration management, design support, obsolescence, safety management, spares provision and quality assurance.

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Bob Delorge, chief executive, Raytheon UK, said: "This contract demonstrates Raytheon UK's leading industry expertise in the complex weapons arena, where the company delivers fast and reliable in-service support for both current and legacy U.K. Paveway Weapon Systems. In addition to this, our Paveway Global Factory initiative demonstrates that Raytheon UK's manufacturing facility in Glenrothes continues to be a nationally important technology leader and export success."

Simon Pearce, the U.K. Ministry of Defence Freefall Weapons Project Team Leader, said: "Paveway weapons are playing a prominent role in support of current operations and Paveway IV has become the freefall weapon of choice by providing the very best technology for operations with its combat-proven all-weather, day and night capability, as well as its ability to be integrated across legacy and future aircraft."

Paveway IV's capabilities have been proven through deployment by the RAF on Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan and, more recently, Operation ELLAMY, where the key priority is preventing casualties among the local population while delivering the required military effect.

Flt Lt Chris Wright, 31Sqn QWI, commented: "Paveway IV has brought us to a new level in weaponeering capability. Simple to employ with generous launch envelopes, the ability to alter the flight, impact and fusing of the weapon in-cockpit all the way until release, gives aircrew huge flexibility in achieving the exact effect desired. This has resulted in it being our weapon of choice for a wide range of targets and is hugely popular with Forward Air Controllers who love the range of effects available in one weapon from airburst to delay fusing, and hybrid laser and GPS guidance."

Raytheon UK is a subsidiary of Raytheon Company. It is a prime contractor and major supplier to the U.K. Ministry of Defence and has developed strong capabilities in mission systems integration in defense, national security and commercial markets. Raytheon UK also designs, develops and manufactures a range of high-technology electronic systems and software at its facilities in Harlow, Glenrothes, Portsmouth, Uxbridge, Waddington and Broughton.

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), 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.

Notes to Editors:

Paveway™ IV is the next-generation guided weapon selected by the U.K. Ministry of Defence for the Precision Guided Bomb (PGB) program. In an environment where time-sensitive targeting remains fundamental to success, Paveway IV provides the ultimate in operational flexibility. The combat proven dual-mode guidance, together with height of burst and penetrating capability in one weapon system, enable the decision of target engagement to be made right up to the point of release. Paveway IV has been successfully integrated onto the Tornado GR4 and, under contract, is being integrated onto Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. It expands the boundaries of traditional laser-guided weapons and also exceeds the range of rival GPS-guided bombs. The enhanced launch zone increases both weapon effectiveness and platform survivability. 

The U.K. Ministry of Defence uses Paveway™ II, Enhanced Paveway™ II, Paveway™ III, Enhanced Paveway™ III, and Paveway™ IV. The first ever release of a Paveway IV precision-guided bomb from a Typhoon aircraft, using the avionics system to safely release the weapon, was achieved in March 2011.

SOURCE Raytheon UK