UAE awards Raytheon $3.3 billion order for Patriot
TEWKSBURY, Mass. — Raytheon Company has been awarded a not-to-exceed $3.3 billion order to provide the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System to the United Arab Emirates. The agreement includes technology, training and whole life support of the medium-range missile system, which is part of a multi-tiered defensive shield the UAE Armed Forces is building to protect the nation from perceived threats in the region. In addition to the UAE, 10 other allies have purchased and deployed the Patriot as a key component of their air and missile defense programs. These partners include: The Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Taiwan, Greece, Spain and 
Kinetic Energy Interceptor Team completes key missile defense test
PROMONTORY, Utah — The Raytheon Company and Northrop Grumman Kinetic Energy Interceptor team recently completed the firing of a powerful first-stage rocket motor, keeping the KEI program on schedule for a 2009 booster flight test. The test demonstrated the operation of the first-stage rocket motor in its complete flight configuration, using the same thrust vector control system and interface hardware that will be used for the 2009 flight test. Earlier, the team fired a Stage 2 rocket motor featuring an enhanced nozzle and upgraded ballistics during the test at the Alliant Techsystems’ facility in Elkton, Md. Northrop Grumman is leading the team charged with developing and testing a KEI capability for the Missile Defense Agency. Raytheon leads the program’s interceptor development work. Alliant Techsystems is Raytheon’s principal subcontractor and is responsible for performing Stage 1 and Stage 2 rocket-motor development work. Orbital Sciences will integrate the booster and prepare range operations for the 2009 flight.
MDA awards Raytheon contract for new multiple kill vehicle payload system
WASHINGTON — Raytheon Company has been awarded a $54 million contract to develop and test a new multiple kill vehicle payload system, called MKV-R, for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.
U.S. Navy awards $422 million contract for SM-2 production
TUCSON, Ariz.
— The U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Company a $422 million production contract for Standard Missile-2 Block IIIA and Block IIIB missiles. Raytheon will provide SM-2 missiles to the U.S. Navy, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea and Japan. The SM-2 employs dual-mode infrared and radio frequency guidance to defeat target countermeasures and has demonstrated success against supersonic, sea-skimming missiles during high-G (gravity force) maneuvers. SM-2 has been the U.S. Navy’s primary surface-to-air fleet defense weapon for more than three decades. It is capable of engaging anti-ship cruise missiles, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. The latest versions of the missile also feature improved guidance software.
Raytheon selected to upgrade Patriot for U.S. Army, international customers
TEWKSBURY, Mass.
— In two separate contract awards, the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command has selected Raytheon Company to upgrade Patriot missiles. One contract, for $77.4 million, is to continue upgrading the missiles by adding the capability to engage and destroy cruise and ballistic missiles. It involves upgrading 166 Patriot Advanced Con-figuration-2 missiles to Guidance Enhanced Missiles–Tactical. The Army also awarded Raytheon a $156 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to provide the State of Kuwait with Patriot Configuration-3 radar upgrade kits and related engineering and technical services. The award for Kuwait Patriot upgrade kits follows recent company announcements of contracts totaling $269 million to provide South Korea with command and control, communications, and maintenance support and training equipment for its Patriot air and missile defense system and a $79 million FMS award to provide Taiwan with Patriot Configuration-3 radar upgrade kits and related engineering and technical services.
MDA awards $10 million contract to develop new missile defense interceptor
TUCSON, Ariz.
— The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has awarded Raytheon Company a $10 million contract to continue research and development of the Network Centric Airborne Defense Element interceptor, an air-launched weapon system designed to engage short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in the boost and ascent phase of flight. The NCADE interceptor leverages many proven components and technologies, including the aerodynamic design, aircraft interface and flight control system of Raytheon’s Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile. The AMRAAM commonality means NCADE can be launched from a wide variety of aircraft, including smaller unmanned aerial vehicles. NCADE also leverages proven imaging infrared seeker components from existing Raytheon production programs, which enables a potentially rapid development and fielding path.
Japanese troops successfully test Patriot missiles at Fort Bliss
TEWKSBURY, Mass. — Two Japanese Patriot crews recently engaged targets in a successful practice firing at Fort Bliss, Texas. Raytheon Company engineers provided operational support that included intermediate maintenance and data collection, and analysis validating intercept parameters, during the annual service practice conducted by Japan Air Self-Defense Force troops. Raytheon is the prime contractor for the Patriot system and integration of all variants. Japan is one of 12 nations that employ the combat-proven Patriot as a key component of their air and missile defense programs.
Raytheon kill vehicle and radars key to ballistic missile intercept
TUCSON, Ariz. — Raytheon Company components played key roles in the destruction of a ballistic missile target during the Dec. 5, 2008 flight test of the Missile Defense Agency’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense system. This was the eighth intercept for the GMD system. During the test, a Raytheon-built Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle intercepted a ballistic missile target in space over the eastern Pacific Ocean. While communicating with ground sensors, the EKV detected, tracked and discriminated the target. While in flight, the EKV calibrated its own position using the stars. The EKV then selected an aimpoint and maneuvered for a direct hit, intercepting the target at a closing velocity of more than 18,000 miles per hour. The target was launched from Kodiak, Alaska, and the interceptor was fired from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. In the first demonstration of GMD integrated performance, Raytheon’s AN/TPY-2 X-Band Radar acquired the target shortly after liftoff. Operating in forward-based mode from Juneau, Alaska, the radar provided track updates to MDA’s Ballistic Missile Defense System. Raytheon’s Upgraded Early Warning Radar at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., tracked the target during its flight downrange. Raytheon’s X-Band Radar, deployed aboard the Sea-based X-band radar, actively participated by tracking, discriminating and assessing the target.
U.S. Navy tests seven Raytheon SM-2 Block IIIAs during trials
TUCSON, Ariz.
— As part of ongoing U.S. Navy shipbuilder trials and operational tests, the U.S. Navy recently fired seven Raytheon Company-built Standard Missile-2 Block IIIA anti-air warfare missiles. Four of the intercepts were conducted by the Navy’s guided missile destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Truxton. Three others were conducted by the guided missile cruiser USS Antietam during exercises at Southern California Offshore Range Extension. Advanced fuzing and warhead modifications were incorporated into the SM-2 Block IIIA design to counter the threat of sea skimming anti-ship cruise missiles. “Standard Missile has been the U.S. Navy’s primary surface-to-air fleet air defense weapon for more than three decades,” said Kirk Johnson, U.S. Navy Standard Missile program manager. “When it comes to engaging anti-ship cruise missiles, aircraft or helicopters, the SM-2 remains our go-to weapon.”