TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 14, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- The Raytheon Company-led team for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) program has conducted a successful wind tunnel test of its 2.75-inch laser guided rocket system.

The test -- at the Trisonic Wind Tunnel facility in El Segundo, Calif., Sept. 25 to Oct. 11 -- finalized and verified details of the aerodynamic design of the vehicle, including canard and improved tail fin design, for the U.S. Army's APKWS II program.

These results show that the Raytheon team's design will meet the demanding operational requirements of aviation forces. The test also provided measured aerodynamic data across all flight requirements to fully populate a six- degree-of-freedom simulation in the U.S. Army's Common Simulation Framework.

"This successful wind tunnel test, which reduces the overall program risk and cost, is another key step to demonstrate the maturity of the Raytheon team's laser guided rocket for the APKWS II program," said Richard Janik, Raytheon's APKWS II program capture manager.

The APKWS II system 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/