TEWKSBURY, Mass., April 10, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has been awarded a $114 million contract by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to implement the Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) program at Thule, Greenland.

"We're pleased to be selected as the prime contractor for UEWR Thule," said Pete Franklin, vice president, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) Missile Defense Business Area. "The UEWR at Thule will build on the radars that we've already deployed to Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and Royal Air Force Fylingdales, U.K., and will add significantly more surveillance coverage for the U.S. missile defense mission."

As the prime contractor, Raytheon IDS will integrate new electronics, computer hardware and mission software to upgrade the existing two-faced, phased array antenna facility at the remote site. Raytheon will also support integrated tests of the Thule UEWR, performing both missile defense and legacy missions.

Continuing the Raytheon heritage with UHF phased array radars, the UEWR program upgrades existing PAVE PAWS and Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radars by adding missile defense capabilities while retaining legacy missile warning and space surveillance missions. A key sensor for the MDA's Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), UEWR provides midcourse target detection and tracking for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense portion of the BMDS to protect the U.S. from ballistic missile attacks.

Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a strong international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. armed forces.

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.

   Contact:
   Joyce Melikian
   339.645.6967

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Joyce Melikian of Raytheon Company, +1-339-645-6967

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