FULLERTON, Calif., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- ThalesRaytheonSystems has been awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defense, government of Malaysia, to upgrade the Malaysian Air Defense Ground Environment system. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

The upgrade will create a new air defense sector operations center and includes the installation of one new long-range air defense radar.

The SOC command and control software will be an adaptation of the Sentry® Air Defense Ground Environment System developed by ThalesRaytheonSystems in Fullerton, Calif. Sentry is also the basis for the Battle Control System recently declared operational by the U.S. Air Force and Canadian Air Force for the air defense of the North American continent.

ThalesRaytheonSystems in France will deliver the long-range air defense radar. It is part of a new family of high- medium- and low-altitude digital radars that provides unmatched detection performances as well as an outstanding operational availability.

The radar is perfectly adapted to overcome the challenges of the Malaysian country, which is characterized by its tropical environment and the need to operate simultaneously over mountainous terrain, costal plains, and oceanic approaches.

This award continues the long history of cooperation between ThalesRaytheonSystems and the Royal Malaysian Air Force, which dates back to the installation of the first automated command and control system for the RMAF in Butterworth.

About ThalesRaytheonSystems

ThalesRaytheonSystems is an equally owned transatlantic joint venture between Raytheon Company and Thales Group. ThalesRaytheonSystems is a worldwide supplier of air defense command and control centers and ground-based battlefield radars. The company's annual revenue is $800 million, and it employs 1,600 people.

  In the United States:              In Europe:
  Krista Roos                        Matt Pothecary
  714.446.4600                       +33.1.69.75.50.98

SOURCE: Raytheon Company

CONTACT: Krista Roos (US), +1-714-446-4600, or Matt Pothecary (Europe),
+33.1.69.75.50.98, both of ThalesRaytheonSystems

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