TEWKSBURY, Mass., 23 Nov. 2005. Raytheon Company has been awarded a $19.2 million contract option from Naval Sea Systems Command for life cycle engineering and support on the LPD 17 class, the U.S. Navy's next generation of amphibious warfare ships. The contract also includes other option years.

Under this contract, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) is the prime contractor for life cycle engineering and support as well as the total ship electronics systems integrator for the LPD 17 program. By leveraging the transformational technology advancements achieved as the mission systems integrator on the DD(X), LPD, and CVN ship programs, Raytheon will further support the application of common technologies and processes across multiple platforms in the fleet.

"With this contract, Raytheon expands its role as the lead systems integrator for the LPD 17 ship class," said Upinder Dhinsa, IDS' vice president of Naval Integrated Systems. "We are taking a leadership role in extending the ship's affordability and capability by delivering the quality, performance and whole life service and support to ensure the mission of the U.S. Navy amphibious fleet."

Based in Tewksbury, Mass., Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon's leader in Joint Battlespace Integration. With a strong international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. armed forces, Integrated Defense Systems provides integrated air and missile defense and naval and maritime warfighting solutions.

Raytheon Company, with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide. For more information, see www.raytheon.com.