US Air Force chooses Raytheon to modernize cryptographic units

Posted by Skyler Frink

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Nov. 7, 2011. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has won a $31.1 million contract to design lighter, power-efficient devices that the U.S. military uses to securely transmit voice and data traffic. It is the first technology upgrade to the shoebox-shaped devices in more than two decades.

These devices are portable and can be used in a variety of airborne, land and maritime combat situations. Under a multiyear agreement, Raytheon will replace stand-alone cryptographic units with modern products that use data-scrambling algorithms to encrypt information on one end and then decrypt it on the other.

Known as VACM, for VINSON/ANDVT Crypto Modernization, the highly competitive program sets new standards for encryption performance and ease of use.

The VACM contract is one of the U.S. Air Force Cryptologic Systems Division's largest programs. Raytheon will initially design and test the cryptographic units before replacing the legacy systems that are in use today.