TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) delivered the 2,000th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile to the NATO SeaSparrow Consortium.  

"ESSM is a model for global operations, and the delivery of our 2,000th missile demonstrates the significant commitment of our international team to continue providing this critical capability to the warfighter," said Ed Roesly, Raytheon Missile Systems' ESSM program director. "We have delivered ESSMs for a decade and expect continued production past 2017."

Deployed by the U.S. Navy and 11 international fleets, ESSM defends the battlespace by delivering ship self-defense firepower against high-G maneuvering anti-ship cruise missiles, as well as surface and low-velocity air threats. As a tail-controlled missile, ESSM uses recent enhancements to its guidance system to take advantage of improved seeker sensitivity, increased propulsion and greater weapon accuracy. Combined, these features result in ESSM arriving at the intercept point with more speed and agility to counter the threat.

About ESSM
With more than 200 at-sea firings, ESSM is a medium-range, all-weather, semi-active radar-guided missile used in surface-to-air and surface-to-surface roles by the U.S. It is currently deployed by 11 international customers. ESSM represents more than four decades of technology and design improvements by a 43-year international cooperative partnership composed of 12 nations, 10 of which employ ESSM. The program continues to conduct studies to identify improvement opportunities for ESSM to pace the threat with advanced capabilities.

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 Contact
Amy M. Bolton
+1.520.247.4399
rmspr@raytheon.com

SOURCE Raytheon Company