TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 8, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- A Raytheon Company-led team completed a series of sled and arena and fuse sled tests, successfully demonstrating a low-cost lethality solution for its Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) design.

Testing was performed from August to November by the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center, a division of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, N.M. These tests validated that the Raytheon team's APKWS II design meets the performance and lethality requirements using an "off the shelf," non-development fuse for initiation of the non-development "off the shelf" warhead -- a key cost savings for the U.S. Army customer.

"This test validated the initiation and lethality of the current 2.75-inch rocket fuse and warhead with a laser seeker on the front end," said Raytheon APKWS II capture manager Richard Janik. "This critical technical accomplishment significantly reduces our APKWS II risk and highlights the Raytheon team's readiness to deliver this much needed capability to our nation's warfighters."

APKWS II will be a multi-service, multi-user, multi-platform system designed to engage and destroy stationary, re-locatable and moving targets, ranging from buildings and bunkers to tactical vehicles. The weapon is also optimized to fight in today's urban and complex terrain environment and to destroy small naval targets such as patrol craft.

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

   Contact:
   Sara Hammond
   520.794.7810

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Sara Hammond of Raytheon Company, +1-520-794-7810

Web site: http://www.raytheon.com/