INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 9, 2004  /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN)
has been awarded a $12.5 million contract by the U.S. Navy to provide spares
for the F/A-18 Shared Reconnaissance Pod (SHARP). Naval Inventory Control
Point is the contracting agency.

    Under the contract, Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC (RTSC) will
provide 63 various subassemblies and components to serve as spares in support
of all fielded F/A-18 SHARPs and six systems that will be delivered by RTSC's
Indianapolis facility in the next two months. This is the second annual
procurement of spare subassemblies and components.

    SHARP provides U.S. Navy carrier-based air wings with high-resolution,
digital tactical air reconnaissance that features advanced day/night and all-
weather capability. RTSC is the sole-source producer of the pod and the
integrator of the SHARP system. All spares under this contract will be
manufactured or procured by the Indianapolis facility.

    "In April 2003, Raytheon delivered the first of 10 Shared Reconnaissance
Pod low rate initial production systems to the U.S. Navy, significantly
improving the F/A-18F Super Hornet's tactical reconnaissance capability," said
John Balaguer, RTSC vice president and general manager of RTSC's Indianapolis-
based business unit. "We're pleased to continue working closely with the Navy
on the SHARP program and to provide our fighting forces with the best possible
technology to successfully complete their missions."

    Raytheon Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance programs cover the
full spectrum of information management, providing the ability to task,
collect, process, exploit and disseminate national and tactical target data.
These abilities are crucial for warfighters to achieve information dominance
throughout the entire battlespace.

    Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC provides technology solutions for
defense, federal and commercial customers worldwide. It specializes in product
and systems support, customized engineering and on-site engineering solutions.

    Raytheon Company, with 2003 sales of $18.1 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 78,000 people worldwide.

    Note to Editors: Additional Information

    SHARP replaces the current Carrier Air Wing tactical reconnaissance
capability provided by the film-based F-14 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod
System (TARPS). Fleet introduction of the SHARP system on the F/A-18F Super
Hornet commenced with early operational capability on the USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
in 2003 and the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) in 2004.

    The Raytheon-designed pod incorporates a rotating mid-section to optimize
coverage, to protect the window by allowing stowage under the strongback and
to reduce the size and life-cycle expense of large fixed windows. The pod's
design also provides mobility-it mounts on a bomb rack like a smart weapon --
allowing for more flexibility in reconnaissance mission planning. While the
initial systems employ electro-optical/infrared sensors for use on the F/A-
18E/F aircraft, the pod design is readily adaptable to many sensor payloads on
a wide range of aircraft.

  Contact:
   Kristen Giddens Pinto-Coelho
   703.295.2535


SOURCE: Raytheon Company



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