Australia and Switzerland Become First ATFLIR Targeting Pod International Operators

Released on Monday, June 23, 2008

MCKINNEY, Texas, June 23, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has received a $62 million U.S. Navy order to provide the Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod to the air forces of Australia and Switzerland.

The foreign military sale award calls for the delivery of 18 ATFLIR systems to Australia to equip its new F/A-18 F Block II+ Super Hornets.

Raytheon will also provide one ATFLIR pod to Switzerland as part of an upgrade program for its F/A-18C Hornets. The order allows the nation to purchase up to 14 more pods in 2009.

"Australia and Switzerland will benefit from a combat-proven targeting pod that is performing strongly as the program of record for the Navy with a hot production line," said Joe Studer, ATFLIR international business development manager for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "The pods they receive will include engineering improvements and spiral technology advancements made previously under the Navy program without any additional development cost to our first international customers."

The contract also includes delivery of ATFLIR spare parts to the Navy and the two foreign air forces.

"Like many foreign military sales, this ATFLIR award will greatly contribute to coalition force interoperability," said Capt. Mark Darrah, Navy program manager for the F/A-18 and E/A-18G aircraft. "The value of participating in a program such as ATFLIR is substantial as we continue to advance system technology and mission capabilities."