TEWKSBURY, Mass., 27 March 2009. Raytheon Company won a $23.9 million phase 3 contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to continue work on the Wide Bandgap Semiconductor (WBGS) Development program.

This 38-month phase of the program is a collaboration between DARPA and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Its objective is to rapidly mature and demonstrate the capabilities of gallium nitride (GaN) to improve the performance of missile defense radars. To accelerate the technology development, it will combine the results of Raytheon's DARPA-funded WBGS Phase 2 and the MDA-funded Next Generation Transmit Receive Integrated Microwave Module programs.

"Our research continues to demonstrate that GaN technology will improve the capability and performance of current and future military systems," said Michael Del Checcolo, vice president of Engineering for Raytheon Integrated Systems. "Under the WBGS program, we have the opportunity to combine research findings from multiple organizations, allowing us to develop and provide the most advanced technologies to help keep our warfighters and homeland safe."

Work under this contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS at the Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, Mass., and the Surveillance and Sensors Center, Sudbury, Mass.