WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. firm Raytheon Systems Ltd. announced this week it has won a $24 million contract to integrate Paveway IV weapons on the F-35 Lightning II.
The company said in a statement Tuesday it had "been awarded a contract to support the integration and flight trials of the Paveway IV new generation guided weapon on to the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing version of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter."
"The JSF has been bought by Britain and five other European nations that are planning to take delivery of the F-35 aircraft. The integration of the RSL developed Paveway IV onto the F-35B will ensure that (Britain) has an autonomous weapon solution for this platform," the statement said.
Tobin Touchstone, Raytheon's director of precision systems, said, "This is a significant opportunity for RSL to further develop its aircraft integration portfolio and place RSL's Precision Systems business as one of (Britain's) centers of excellence for this type of activity. Through technology reach back to the United States RSL, along with its Paveway IV team members, has grown significantly (Britain's) indigenous capability in precision guided weapons."
Raytheon said the Paveway IV integration program would "focus on providing documentation, input to the development of the aircraft systems and flight clearance of the weapon on to the aircraft. The latter part of the program will concentrate on support to flight trials and certification. In addition to the general support activities, RSL will also be providing BAE Systems with the required trials hardware."
The company said its Raytheon Missile Systems division in Tucson would "supply the enhanced computer control group guidance sections, telemetry sub-systems, instrumentation, test equipment and associated support" for the project.
"The F-35B will be the world's first short take-off and vertical landing aircraft capable of operating routinely at supersonic speeds. It also will be the world's first stealthy STOVL aircraft. The U.S. Marine Corps, (Britain's) Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Navy all plan to operate the F-35B," the company said.
