MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Jan. 17, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is launching a pilot program in the Midwest that will provide first responders and public safety officials with new and dramatically improved communications services.

The six-month program, which will be conducted in the Quad Cities region of Illinois and Iowa, will enhance collaboration and improve existing capabilities among community first responders and public safety organizations by providing seamless interoperability and remote broadband access. The pilot will also introduce new capabilities, including mobile situational awareness.

"This public-private partnership will provide critical information to our incident commanders in real time -- enabling them to manage emergency incidents safely and effectively," said Fire Chief Mark Frese of the Davenport (Iowa) Fire Department. "We are just beginning to understand the potential of this network."

In addition to Davenport, Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline, East Moline, Rock Island, and Milan, Ill., will participate in the pilot. Genesis Medical Center in Davenport will also participate.

"Raytheon is increasing its focus on the civil communications market and has the expertise to support first responders and public safety officials perform with improved speed and efficiency so they can provide enhanced safety in their communities," said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Integrated Communications Systems, a part of Raytheon's Network Centric Systems business. "Our company has a long history of providing communication solutions in military applications, and the Quad Cities pilot is the company's most recent initiative to expand in federal, state and local markets."

Raytheon already has a significant presence in this arena through JPS Communications, a technology leader in communications interoperability solutions that became part of the company several years ago.

Raytheon will lead the program and will partner with Nortel Government Solutions, New Era Wireless, NexPort Solutions Group, DropFire, and EAGLE Project. "By using existing infrastructure and augmenting it with standards- based solutions, capital expenditures in the communities will be reduced significantly," said Chuck Saffell, CEO, Nortel Government 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.

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: MB Hodgkiss, +1-781-254-3428, for Raytheon Company

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