Space and Airborne Systems is well positioned to take advantage of the resurgent federal interest in space exploration. Sensors built by the business for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration began exploring Mars upon arrival in January 2004. Raytheon will supply up to seven visible infrared imaging radiometer suite (VIIRS) instruments for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System. The first VIIRS instrument is scheduled for launch in 2006.

After a superlative Navy evaluation of the Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR), developed for the F/A-18, pilots are anxious for widespread use. The Navy has asked for full-rate production. The ATFLIR can observe a target, designate it for attack, or choose a target designated by another observer.

The Navy conducted the first flight test of another SAS system for the F/A-18, the revolutionary APG-79 Active Electronically Scanning Array radar. The flight verified the successful integration of the radar with on-board avionic systems and showed that various subsystems were working properly.

The Air Force awarded the business a contract to continue upgrading the radar on the B-2 bomber. This is the second phase of a multi-year program to retrofit the B-2 fleet with a new Ku-band active-array radar antenna. Raytheon is a partner in the Multi-platform Radar Technology Insertion Program for the E-10A, an airborne command post in development by the Air Force, and SAS is spearheading Raytheon’s bid for the aircraft’s battle management command-and-control system contract.

Led by Space and Airborne Systems, Raytheon is serving as prime contractor and system integrator on the Airborne Stand-off Radar (ASTOR) program for the United Kingdom. The company is winning international recognition for designing and developing ASTOR on schedule and within budget. This effort earned Raytheon an invitation from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to bid on developing an airborne surveillance system that NATO expects to field by 2010.

Global Hawk and Predator® unmanned aerial vehicles owed much of their success in Operation Iraqi Freedom to Raytheon sensing and targeting systems. Unmanned systems represent a high-growth opportunity that Raytheon is pursuing aggressively.

With significant success, the business continues to receive and perform on new classified program awards.

SAS continues to be at the forefront of advanced systems for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; precision engagement; and missile defense.