USAF Awards Raytheon Satellite Communications Contract Worth $75 Million

Marlborough, MA -- Raytheon Company has won the U.S. Air Force's competition to upgrade a satellite communications system that provides protected communications to warfighters around the world.

The contract, valued in excess of $75M, is for development and production of the Minuteman Minimum Essential Emergency Communications Network program upgrade, or MMPU. Raytheon began work on the current MMP solution for the Air Force in 1999 as part of a study contract.

"This award is further testament to our unparalleled expertise in protected satellite communications and advanced extremely high frequency, or AEHF, communications across the services," said Jerry Powlen, vice president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems' Integrated Communications Systems. "The MMPU contract, along with our protected SATCOM contract for the Navy Multiband Terminal and our efforts on the Army's Secure Mobile Anti Jam Reliable Tactical Terminal, demonstrates our innovative technology solutions."

As part of the MMPU contract, Raytheon Network Centric Systems will develop, deliver, and support an advanced satellite communication system of ground-based communication terminals. The Air Force expects to field the terminals for operational test and evaluation in late 2009, which is consistent with Department of Defense's plans to have its advanced extremely high frequency satellite constellation in operation in 2010.

SOURCE: Raytheon Company