Source: www.spacedaily.com

Source: www.militaryaerospace.com

Raytheon’s U.S. Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT) is the second operationally fielded terminal to interoperate with an on-orbit AEHF satellite after the recent success of the company’s U.S. Army Secure Mobile Anti-jam Reliable Tactical Terminal (SMART-T).

The first AEHF satellite, launched in August 2010, recently began an extensive set of operational tests. NMT demonstrated interoperable communications using the AEHF satellite’s eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform, moving data more than five times faster than previous EHF systems.

In addition, it demonstrated backward compatibility to low and medium data rate operation supported by earlier EHF satellites on the new AEHF satellite. NMT is in production and fielded, and like the Army’s SMART-T system, ready to support U.S. armed services with the latest protected satellite communication waveform requirements when testing is complete.

“This increased capability will give the Navy more mission flexibility and significantly increased capacity to provide protected voice, data and video communications supporting strategic and tactical missions,” said Scott Whatmough, vice president of Raytheon Network Centric Systems’ Integrated Communication Systems business.

“Our continued success in this on-orbit testing of AEHF demonstrates our ability to deliver complex EHF and AEHF terminals to the Army, Navy and Air Force. They are ready for immediate deployment in support of our operational forces upon transfer of satellite command authority from the Space and Missile Systems Center to the 14th Air Force in early 2012,” he added.

Raytheon will field 308 AEHF NMT terminals to the U.S. armed services. The NMT system incorporates Raytheon’s new XDR waveform hardware and software, a complex technological breakthrough in protected communications. XDR provides users with increased bandwidth and speed, enabling strategic and tactical military communications.

About Raytheon: www.raytheon.com

“Our partnership with Taiwan dates back more than 45 years, and we are committed to providing Taiwan with the best air and missile defense system capability available,” said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business (IDS).

Patriot is the world’s most capable air and missile defense system, protecting against a full range of advanced threats, including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. It is the system of choice for 12 nations around the globe.

Raytheon is the prime contractor for both domestic and international Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems and system integrator for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles.

Main points:

• This award is in addition to the one received in 2009 for new systems for Taiwan and the 2008 contracts to upgrade Taiwan’s existing systems.
• Raytheon recently delivered the first Configuration-3 radar system to Taiwan, completing the upgrade 10 months ahead of the original program plan the customer requested.
• The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., issued this contract for new Patriot fire units that will feature new advanced technology, improved man-machine interface and reduced life-cycle costs.
• Work under this contract will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, Mass.; El Paso, Texas; and Huntsville, Ala. The company is supported by a global team of suppliers to the Patriot system.

About Raytheon:  www.raytheon.com

The first AEHF satellite, launched in August 2010, recently began an extensive set of operational tests. In this testing, SMART-T AEHF has already demonstrated interoperable communications using the AEHF satellite’s eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform, moving data more than five times faster than previous EHF systems. In addition, it demonstrated backward compatibility to low and medium data rate operation supported by earlier EHF satellites on the new AEHF satellite. SMART-T AEHF is both in production and fielded.

“Our success in this on-orbit test of AEHF, along with our demonstrated capability to develop, produce and field complex EHF and AEHF terminals for the Army, Navy and Air Force, results from a three-decade commitment to our EHF/AEHF terminal product line,” said Scott Whatmough, vice president, Raytheon Network Centric Systems’ Integrated Communication Systems. “In addition to being fielded today, the proven technology and modular design of our AEHF terminal product line enables us to rapidly and affordably adapt our terminals to new missions and new platforms in the future.”

Raytheon will deliver 364 AEHF SMART-T terminals to the U.S. armed services.

“We are delivering the next generation protected and enduring communications to the military. This increased capability will provide our armed services with more mission flexibility and significantly increased capacity to provide protected voice, data and video communications supporting strategic and tactical missions,” added Whatmough.

The incorporate Raytheon’s eXtended Data Rate (XDR) waveform hardware and software, a complex technological breakthrough in protected communications. The new XDR waveform provides users with increased bandwidth and speed, enabling strategic and tactical military communications.

About Raytheon:  www.raytheon.com

Source: www.businessweek.com

NOAA weather satellites are the backbone of life-saving weather forecasts and advance hazardous outlooks relied upon by individuals, businesses, emergency responders and the military every day. This year alone there have been 10 disasters surpassing $1 billion each, which has made the demand for advanced weather data even greater. Further, because of demographic trends and population growth, the United States may be even more vulnerable to extreme weather events in the future. Raytheon provides the technology, from space to ground, to support NOAA’s important weather mission.

At the heart of JPSS is an advanced weather and climate monitoring instrument responsible for nearly two-thirds of the spacecraft’s data collection requirements. The Visible Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is the primary instrument responsible for global imagery, land and sea surface temperature monitoring, cloud characterization and other key environmental data.

On the ground, a new Common Ground System built by Raytheon will feature a flexible design to manage nearly a terabyte of information daily to support enhanced environmental data records designed to meet NOAA’s and the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency’s critical weather forecasting responsibilities.

Supported by Raytheon technology in space and on the ground, JPSS will provide important advancements in weather forecasting, including:

• Better image resolution for greater detail across images;
• Improved nighttime monitoring of weather conditions;
• Faster data delivery to U.S. weather stations (by up to 75 percent); and
• Ability to handle 100 times the data of the current system, for more accurate weather and climate modeling.

About Raytheon: www.raytheon.com

The Controlled Impact Rescue Tool (CIRT™) from Raytheon is a self-contained, safe and portable unit designed to aid fire departments, local and federal rescue agencies, and the military services. The tool sends pulverizing shock waves that enable rescuers to breach concrete structures faster than with existing techniques such as drilling, chipping or sawing.

Developed under the rapid-technology application program of the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate, CIRT can quickly penetrate concrete walls and barriers, facilitating personnel rescue after disasters. It is a two-person portable tool, actuated by standard powder cartridges, and is capable of breaching a targeted reinforced concrete wall up to four times faster than with traditional methods. Additionally, the force generated by CIRT is concentrated in a localized area on the concrete barrier, minimizing collateral damage and potential destabilization of the surrounding structure.

Raytheon completed a series of CIRT training demonstrations with the Hawaii National Guard and the Virginia National Guard CERF-P Breaching and Breaking Platoons. The tests were, respectively, part of the Makani Pahili 2011 exercise at Bellows Air Force Station on May 31 and a training demonstration at the Virginia Beach, Va., TF-2 Fire and Rescue training facility on May 16. Makani Pahili is an annual statewide joint exercise involving the U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii and the State of Hawaii to test and evaluate preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season. During the successful hands-on demonstrations, CIRT easily breached reinforced concrete panels in less than six minutes and required minimal effort from the training crews.

“We conducted the demonstrations to show that CIRT is an easy, rapid and effective solution to breaching concrete and other barriers,” said Luis Giraldo, program manager for Raytheon’s Intelligence and Information Systems business. “This technology will help improve efforts of urban search and rescue teams by providing new and faster capabilities to help save lives in disaster situations.”

The Yonkers, N.Y., Fire Department also recently added CIRT to its capability tool kit. CIRT will help the department improve its ability to respond to structural collapse events.

“The companies that comprise Team Romeo are honored by the Commonwealth’s choice of the MH-60R Romeo helicopter to protect Australia’s maritime interests,” said Mick Maurer, president of Sikorsky Military Systems. “We look forward to collaborating with the Royal Australian Navy and local industry across Australia as we build and integrate these proven SEAHAWK aircraft.”

Team Romeo principals Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) have co-developed and delivered maritime helicopters for the U.S. Navy for more than 35 years. They are teamed with engine manufacturer GE Aviation, sonar and sensor provider Raytheon Company, and training and simulator provider CAE for the Phase 8 competition. In addition to delivering Romeo helicopters, the team plans to bring long-term jobs and work opportunities to Australian industry valued at $1.5 billion over 10 years.

“The MH-60R helicopter is a sophisticated sensor platform that has proven its ability to protect the U.S. fleet from submarines, ships and fast attack boats,” said Dan Spoor, Lockheed Martin Aviation Systems vice president. “We are committed to providing the Australian fleet with the same advanced capabilities, as the U.S. Navy continues its investment in the aircraft.”

The Commonwealth of Australia this week signed the Letter of Acceptance, a formal agreement with the U.S. Navy. The Letter of Acceptance marks the first-ever purchase of the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R helicopter outside the United States. The Royal Australian Navy is expected to take delivery of the first two MH-60R helicopters in 2014.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. Its parent company, United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning potential production and sale of helicopters. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans or availability of funding or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Please visit www.utcaero.com for Sikorsky and United Technologies news at the Paris Air Show 2011.

SOURCE Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

Overall, the MDA made good progress in delivering missile defense assets in 2010 and improved its transparency and accountability, but the agency’s cost and schedule baselines are often incomplete and sometimes contain conflicting information, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office report, “Missile Defense: Actions Needed to Improve Transparency and Accountability.”

Read more:  www.spacenews.com