Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Radar Successful in Second Integrated Flight Test at Pacific Range
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TEWKSBURY, Mass., April 9, 2007 -- The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) radar built by Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) performed successfully in the second integrated flight test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii April 5.
The test resulted in the successful intercept of a "mid-endoatmospheric" (inside Earth's atmosphere) unitary (non-separating) target over the Pacific Ocean and demonstrated fully integrated radar, launcher, fire control, missile and engagement functions of the THAAD weapon system.
"In this second critical flight test at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Raytheon's THAAD components continued to demonstrate flawless performance," said Pete Franklin, vice president, National & Theater Security Programs, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "We are pleased to be playing a key role in providing an effective and affordable terminal missile defense capability for our warfighters."
The THAAD radar, a key component of missile defense capability developed by Raytheon IDS, achieved all test objectives: acquiring the target, discriminating the lethal object from other debris, providing track and discrimination data to the fire control and communicating with the in-flight THAAD interceptor. The fire control software, jointly developed by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, also performed successfully, engaging the target and initializing the launch sequence. Lockheed Martin is the THAAD prime contractor and system integrator.
Raytheon's THAAD radar is a phased array, capable of search, threat detection, classification, discrimination and precision tracking at extremely long ranges. THAAD is a key element of the Missile Defense Agency's Ballistic Missile Defense System, providing deployable ground-based missile defense components to any combatant commander that deepen, extend and complement the system to defeat ballistic missiles of short-to-intermediate range. THAAD's combination of high-altitude, long-range capability and hit-to-kill lethality enables it to effectively negate the effects of weapons of mass destruction over a wide area.
Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security.
Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning more than 80 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
Source: Raytheon Company
CONTACT:
Joyce Melikian,
+1-339-645-6967
Web site: www.raytheon.com/
