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MCKINNEY, Texas,
(Jan. 30, 2003) – In support of the U.S. Army’s Future Combat
System (FCS), Raytheon Company demonstrated the capabilities of an advanced
Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) Mission Equipment
Package (MEP) in a week-long data collection and testing exercise at
Ft. Hunter Liggett, Calif.
RSTA MEP, along with Raytheon’s Multi-Function Staring Sensor
Suite (MFS3), illustrated Raytheon’s readiness to meet Future
Combat Systems (FCS) requirements with a scalable, easily adaptable
mission system. The package improves War fighters’ ability to
conduct reconnaissance missions 24 hours a day, in all weather conditions.
RSTA MEP validated its ability to provide surveillance of and acquire
targets in various long-range positions and relay high-resolution images
to a surrogate tactical operations center. At the heart of RSTA MEP
is an open software architecture with a common operating environment
(COE). This design allowed Raytheon to rapidly integrate new sensors
developed for military and civil application into the new system.
Raytheon’s MFS3 customer, Bob Massie, director of Ground Combat
Systems, Night Vision Electronic Systems Directorate (NVESD), said,
"The technologies that we have developed with the MFS3 Advanced
Technology Demonstrator will give war fighters the most advanced electro-optical
reconnaissance package in the world. Its success has been made possible
through the strong partnership between NVESD and Raytheon."
RSTA MEP also employs technologies developed by the U.S. and U.K. governments
for the Future Scout and Cavalry System and Tactical Reconnaissance
Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement programs. Raytheon adapted the
equipment package designed for a twenty-ton platform and integrated
it into a commercial High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle. The
new system features advanced mast and vehicle-mounted sensors that perform
wide area scanning, automatic target detection/recognition, short and
long-range target location and enhanced local security/mobility missions.
Raytheon Vice President for Combat Systems Glynn Raymer said, “The
RSTA MEP’s COE architecture is also used on the battle proven
Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The COE makes it quick and easy to
integrate new systems and technologies into existing manned and unmanned
platforms.”
Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), with 2002 sales of $16.8 billion, is an
industry leader
in defense, government and commercial electronics, space, information
technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft.
With headquarters in Lexington, Mass., Raytheon employs more than 76,000
people worldwide.
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Note to editors:
- Field data was collected in concert with RDEC Night Vision and
Electronic Sensors Directorate, Fort Belvoir, Vir.
- Raytheon’s Reconfigurable Command and Control Platform mobile
tactical operations center (TOC) supported the RSTA demonstration.
The TOC is a transportable and reconfiguarable C-130 operations center
that operates in fixed or mobile modes. Raytheon FSCS and RSTA MEP’s
gathered data and sent it to the TOC, where the common relevant operating
picture was continuously updated and relayed via the Army’s
Force 21 Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCCB2) battle management
system. High-resolution FBCB2 target images/reports were transmitted
via Raytheon’s AN/PSC-5D radio. The radio simulated a satellite
communication link that allowed commanders to verify targeting data
and call for fire.
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