TEWKSBURY, Mass., July 5, 2006 /PRNewswire/ -- Another successful test of Raytheon Company's Patriot system demonstrated the full range and capability of the affordable Patriot Weapons System at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., last month. During the flight test, designed to verify the post deployment build (PDB)-6 software with an affordable Patriot anti-tactical missile (ATM), all components performed flawlessly.

"This test demonstrates the operability of the PDB-6 software across the fielded Patriot Configuration 2 and 3 systems, and it validates the effectiveness of the fielded ATM rounds," said Rick Yuse, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) Integrated Air Defense vice president. "These successful tests reflect Raytheon's commitment to ensure our Patriot systems and missiles continue to provide our warfighters with the premier 'no doubt' air defense capability."

The successful government test was the third of four developmental flight tests to be conducted by the Patriot Lower Tier Project Office (LTPO) using Raytheon's newly-developed Patriot system PDB-6 software. All of the successful tests demonstrate the reliability of the PDB-6 software across the full range of the Patriot system.

Two previous tests conducted in May successfully demonstrated the capability of the Patriot Configuration-3 system and the affordable Guidance Enhanced Missile (GEM) to search, detect, track, properly classify, engage and eliminate the threats.

During this test, a Patriot Configuration-2 Plus fire unit using PDB-6 software conducted two sequential engagements in a shoot-look-shoot firing doctrine. An intentional target miss was programmed into the system to force the command and control system and operators to conduct a re-engagement of the threat. Test data indicated that seamless communication and data transfer between the Patriot radar, engagement control station and Patriot launcher enabled the Patriot System to meet all mission objectives.

The capabilities incorporated into PDB-6 are the next step in the evolving growth for Patriot. This update is composed of user-requested improvements, planned performance improvements, and improvements that had resulted out of lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The multiple, successful tests demonstrate that the PDB-6 software works with all variations of the Patriot system.

All tactical hardware for the missions was manned and operated by soldiers of the 1st of the 7th Air Defense Artillery Battalion, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Raytheon IDS is the prime contractor for the Patriot system and the system integrator for the Configuration-3 system that includes the affordable GEM missile. As the system integrator, Raytheon IDS ensures that all Patriot system components provide the warfighter a reliable and lethal capability to defeat the threats in current and future combat environments.

The Patriot Air and Missile Defense System is the world's most advanced ground-based air defense system and is a cornerstone of the U.S. Army's integrated air defense system. Patriot is a long-range, high-altitude, all-weather system designed to defeat advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles. Combat proven during Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, Patriot can simultaneously engage multiple targets under the most severe electronic countermeasure conditions.

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:
   Guy Shields
   978.858.5246

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Guy Shields of Raytheon Company, +1-978-858-5246

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