MCKINNEY, Texas, Jan. 19, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $312 million, five-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract by the U.S. Army's Communications and Electronics Command to provide ARC-231 radio systems for the Army's fleet of helicopters.

The contract supports the MARS (Multiple-band Avionics Radio Suite) program, the Army's communication solution to embed the latest multi-band radio technology into today's Army aviation platforms. Raytheon will also provide ongoing mission support as part of the contract.

The ARC-231, a state-of-the-art, software-programmable system used by the U.S. military, is currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan on Army helicopters and on Navy and Air Force aircraft. This contract award provides radio systems for much of the Army's helicopter fleet. Over time, more than 1,100 aircraft are expected to be fitted with the ARC-231.

"The ARC-231 communications system significantly and immediately improves the quality of voice and data radio communications, providing the Army with a mission-critical communication capability it needs today and a clear migration path to the future. It fully supports the Department of Defense's efforts to upgrade its communications architecture for the 21st century and beyond," said Wayne Iurillo, director, Raytheon Integrated Communications Systems.

Raytheon Company, 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.

Note to editors:

The ARC-231 is a very high frequency, ultra high frequency, line-of-sight, demand assigned multiple access and satellite communication system. It is designed by Raytheon in Ft. Wayne, Ind. and manufactured in Largo, Fla.

  Contact:
  MB Hodgkiss
  508.490.2607

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SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: MB Hodgkiss of Raytheon Company, +1-508-490-2607

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