Raytheon Consolidated Manufacturing Center Delivers 200th AESA Radar

(Farnborough, England, July 21, 2010) -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has delivered its 200th APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar to Boeing for installation on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G aircraft and the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F Super Hornet.

"As we celebrate our 200th APG-79 AESA delivery, it is also significant to note that the U.S. Navy has now flown Raytheon's AESA radars for more than 115,000 operational flight hours," said Fred Lanes, business development executive for the company's Tactical Airborne Systems business division. "Our service members have now received 200 critically needed, combat-proven radars. These milestones are a testament to how our AESA technology has revolutionized fighter combat capabilities and dramatically improved situational awareness for aircrews."

The APG-79 AESA is in operation with more than a dozen U.S. Navy squadrons. Internationally, the Royal Australian Air Force has received its first five aircraft ahead of schedule, marking the delivery of the first foreign military sale of Super Hornets equipped with an APG-79 radar.

"The combat-proven Block II Super Hornet with its fully integrated APG-79 AESA radar is delivering unmatched capability for the U.S. Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. It is also a core component of the EA-18G, which will deploy for the first time in 2010," said Kory Mathews, Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs vice president. "Raytheon's continued outstanding performance in delivering the APG-79 has been a vital component that has enabled every Super Hornet and Growler to be delivered on schedule for the warfighter and on budget for America."

In full rate production, the APG-79 is produced at Raytheon's Forest, Miss., facility. The Consolidated Manufacturing Center meets the domestic and international needs of radar production for platforms such as the F-15, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G and Global Hawk. The APG-79 is one of the most reliable radars available today, delivering 1000-1500 percent more uptime than mechanically scanned array radars, which results in lower life-cycle cost.

"Raytheon utilizes the country's best-in-class AESA consolidated manufacturing center in Forest, Miss., to produce the APG-79 AESA radar," said Lanes. "As Super Hornet fleets grow and experience the operational advantages of the APG-79 AESA, we're confident that our facility has the capacity to meet immediate and future customer requirements."

Source : Raytheon Corporation (NYSE: RTN)