TEWKSBURY, Mass., Feb. 15, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $31 million contract from Naval Sea Systems Command for integrated combat control systems for the next five Virginia class submarines.

As the prime systems integrator for the submarine combat control suite, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) will procure, produce, test and integrate all combat control hardware and software, including tactical software and logistics support, delivering the advanced communication, navigation and weapon launch capabilities that are critical to submarine combat operations. Under the contract, Raytheon will also provide combat control system modernization and technology refresh for the first two submarines of the Virginia class, the USS Virginia (SSN 774) and USS Texas (SSN 775).

"This contract further validates Raytheon's prime role, delivering a comprehensive, integrated solution that has become the combat control baseline for the U.S. Navy's submarine fleet," said Dan Martin, IDS vice president of Maritime Mission Systems. "Building upon our strong partnership, we continue to be the Navy's best value solutions provider, maximizing capability, performance and affordability for the Virginia class submarine fleet."

The Virginia class submarine combat control subsystem consists of centralized data management systems for weapon control, interface and weapon launch capabilities. Raytheon's Weapon Interface Panel provides special purpose hardware to support generation and control of weapon data, control signals and weapon power for pre-launch, launch, and post-launch control of four horizontal tube-fired weapons and 12 vertical tube fired weapons.

Work on this and other submarine combat system programs is performed at Raytheon's Maritime Mission Center in Portsmouth, R.I.

Based in Tewksbury, Mass., Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace Integration. With a strong international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. armed forces, Integrated Defense Systems provides integrated air and missile defense and naval and maritime warfighting solutions.

Raytheon Company, with 2005 sales of $21.9 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.

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  Carolyn Beaudry
  401.842.3550

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SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Carolyn Beaudry of Raytheon Company, +1-401-842-3550

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