TEWKSBURY, Mass., June 22, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company's open architecture (OA) version of Ship Self Defense System (SSDS) MK 2 successfully passed formal qualification testing. This significant milestone enables the first delivery of a complete surface ship combat management system that meets the Navy's Open Architecture Computing Environment (OACE) standards.

This OA system represents two generations of technology refresh since the first SSDS MK 2 hardware was delivered to USS Ronald Reagan in 2002. It includes significant improvements in the software since its delivery to the ship in 2005. The program has applied a common source code library approach to reduce software maintenance costs and allow all platforms to benefit from software upgrades.

"This next generation combat management system advances the level of reliability, maintainability, and coordinated combat direction to today's sailors," said Dan Martin, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems vice president of Maritime Mission Systems. "The open systems design delivers the common capabilities consistent with the Navy's Family of Ships strategy, providing an affordable solution to meet the mission requirements of the fleet."

The combat management system migrated to OACE Category 3 and will undergo further developmental testing by Raytheon and the Navy in preparation for full production planned for 2007. Initial delivery to three ships -- USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS San Antonio (LPD 17) and LHA 6 -- is scheduled for 2008.

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 (NYSE: RTN), 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:
  Carolyn Beaudry
  401.842.3550

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

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

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