TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 11  /PRNewswire/ -- The United Kingdom Ministry of
Defence (MOD) has signed a contract with Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN)
Missile Systems business for AIM-120 C-5 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air
Missiles (AMRAAM) and associated safety, logistical and surveillance support.
The contract has an estimated value of $144 million.

    Logistical and surveillance programs will cover a period of 10 years with
options to increase it to 25 years.

    This U.K. MOD procurement is an interim solution to the overall beyond-
visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) program. The U.K. MOD selected
Raytheon's low-risk, low-cost, AMRAAM as the interim solution to the BVRAAM
requirement primarily due to AMRAAM's proven capability.  AMRAAM is currently
in production and in service with 28 nations.

    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:

    AMRAAM sets the global beyond-visual-range standard. AMRAAM's
incorporation of the latest digital technology and microminiaturized solid-
state electronics make this remarkable weapon more reliable and maintainable,
resulting in the highest dependability at the lowest cost of ownership.

    AMRAAM's unprecedented air combat flexibility, including its multi-shot
capability, provides pilots the ability to launch at an enemy aircraft day or
night, in all weather. In beyond-visual-range engagements, AMRAAM is guided
initially by its inertial reference unit and microcomputer. During midcourse
flight, AMRAAM receives target location updating directly from the launch
aircraft radar system.

    In the terminal phase of flight, without further reliance on the launching
system, the internal active radar seeker independently guides the missile.
AMRAAM's autonomous guidance capability provides the pilot with critical
range-preserving launch and leave capability which substantially improves the
pilot's survivability. AMRAAM has also demonstrated equally outstanding
performance in the surface-to-air role.


  Contact:
  Sara Hammond
  520-794-7810


SOURCE: Raytheon Company

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