Raytheon to integrate ship defense system

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has contracted Raytheon to provide its Ship Self-Defense System along with upgrade management and engineering services.

Under the $23 million contract, U.S. company Raytheon will become the Ship Self-Defense System's platform systems engineering agent. As part of the deal, Raytheon will support upgrades for the Ship Self-Defense System on various Navy ships and also the integration of the system into the new Tarawa-class and Whidbey Island-class ships, among others.

Raytheon's Ship Self-Defense System is a sensor-based defense technology designed to protect aircraft carriers and expeditionary warfare ships against anti-ship cruise missiles.

"Ship Self-Defense System is an open architecture solution that leverages our expertise and advanced technologies to provide critical situational awareness and proven self-defense capabilities to the U.S. Navy," Robert Martin, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems vice president and deputy of seapower capability systems, said in a statement.

"With this contract, we will expand our role and support to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of the Navy's surface fleet."