WASHINGTON, March 4 (UPI) -- U.S. electronics giant Raytheon has won a $50 million contract to supply the U.S. Navy with multi-spectral targeting systems.
The AAS-44C system is designed to be used for the force's MH-60R and MH-60S helicopters. The AAS-44C(V) is a forward-looking infrared targeting system that video imagery, which helps soldiers, intelligence analysts and commanders in the field make critical operating decisions.
"This system provides critical information to U.S. and coalition forces," Capt. Dean Peters, the U.S. Navy program executive officer was quoted saying by Defense News. "The quality of its day and night environment imagery is making a difference in the lives of our troops."
Tim Carey, the vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Systems at Raytheon said the company's "solid partnership" with the Navy had enabled Raytheon to develop the unique system to meet defense requirements.
"This electro-optical infrared system offers proven reliability and capability that support the war fighter in operations around the world," he was quoted saying by Emoney Daily.
Deliveries of the system are to begin in this year and be completed in 2012.
A variant of the system deployed with U.S. rapid response forces, the AAS-44C (V) uses a full-motion video camera to capture long-range surveillance and high-altitude acquisition, tracking and laser designation from a manned or unmanned aircraft, a company statement said.
"It features multiple fields of view, electronic zoom and multimode video tracking, designed to incorporate future growth options and performance enhancement," it added.
Earlier this week Raytheon delivered its 250th APG-79 radar to Boeing. The systems, capable of scanning vast areas of sky and ground with using moving parts, are also used on Super Hornet and Growler aircraft of the Navy. They are also used by the Australian air force, on its F/A-18 planes.
In all the company has delivered 85 APG-79 radars for the Navy in the past year.
In October 2008, C4ISR Journal ranked the AAS-AAC(V) among the Top 25 devices making "the biggest difference on the battlefield."
Raytheon developed the system for use on the Navy's MH-60R and MH-60S rotary-wing platforms but it also supplies it to military forces throughout the world.
Raytheon is presently pursuing foreign military sales of its sensor solutions with the naval forces with India also.
With sale in 2010 recorded at $25 billion, Raytheon prides itself as a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense and other government markets throughout the world.
