TUCSON, Ariz., July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) was awarded a $636 million development and sustainment contract to provide the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle to The Boeing Company, which is the prime contractor for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program. Raytheon booked the award during its second quarter.

EKV represents the centerpiece for the Missile Defense Agency's GMD as the intercept component of the Ground Based Interceptor, also known as GBI, which is designed to engage high-speed ballistic missile warheads in space. 

"When it comes to developing, testing and deploying technologies that enable the intercept of threats in space, Raytheon is a world leader," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. "We are proud to contribute to our nation's first line of defense against the threat of ballistic missiles."

Under conditions of the contract, which extends through November 2018, Raytheon will provide EKV development, fielding, testing, system engineering, integration, configuration management, equipment manufacturing and refurbishment, and operation and sustainment.

About the EKV
Leveraging more than two decades of kill vehicle technology expertise, the EKV is designed to destroy incoming ballistic missile threats by colliding with them, a concept often described as "hit to kill."

• EKV has an advanced multi-color sensor that is used to detect and discriminate incoming warheads from other objects.
• The EKV also has its own propulsion, communications link, discrimination algorithms, guidance and control system and computers to support target selection and intercept.
• EKV is deployed and operational today.
• EKV has had eight successful intercepts throughout the life of the program.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2011 sales of $25 billion and 71,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 90 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. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter at @raytheon.

Media Contacts
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Heather Uberuaga
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SOURCE Raytheon Company