LEXINGTON, Mass., Feb. 26, 1999 - Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTNA, RTNB) announced today that the U.S. Army's Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command (STRICOM) has selected the Fire Support Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (FSCATT) program as its "Program of the Month" for February.

"Our integrated Raytheon and customer team has consistently met major Fire Support Combined Arms Tactical Trainer program milestones leading up to the successful fielding of M109A5 howitzer crew trainers," said Brian McKeon, Raytheon Systems Company's director of modeling and simulation. "This artillery crew training system, which is the Army's only Defense Acquisition Pilot Program, is proving that acquisition reform and streamlining can work."

To date, Raytheon has delivered M109A5 howitzer crew trainers to both active Army and Army National Guard facilities. They are being used by field artillery gunnery crews to train individually or as a team in the execution of indirect fire mission operations.

The howitzer crew trainers are integrated with an array of sensors to monitor individual and crew performance. The sensors measure direction and elevation settings on the fire control instruments and monitor projectile selection, fuze selection and setting, propellant selection and ramming and firing procedures.

Six of the 16 M109A5 howitzer crew trainers Raytheon has delivered have been fielded at the Army's Field Artillery Center and School in Ft. Sill, Okla. A major milestone was achieved recently when the school's first class of artillery crewmen began using the devices for training. In addition to providing the Army a reduction in training costs, the howitzer crew trainers are enabling artillery crews to experience a broader range of training scenarios.

Individual M109A5 howitzer crew trainers also have been fielded at Army National Guard facilities in Milwaukee, Wis.; Ethan Allen, Ver.; and Lufkin, Tex. The remaining nine M109A5 howitzer crew trainers will be delivered to five Army National Guard bases by March, 1999.

To keep pace with the Army's decision to expand modernization of its self-propelled artillery units Raytheon also is developing M109A6 Paladin howitzer crew trainers. Both active and National Guard forces will use these M109A6 trainers.

"The combination of M109A5 and M109A6 trainers will serve the Army well into the 21st century," said Gary Sackett, Raytheon Systems Company's FSCATT programs manager. "These systems, whether used in stand alone mode or in conjunction with other field artillery systems, provide excellent training for individual gun crews through the battery level."

Raytheon Company, based in Lexington, Mass., is a global technology leader that provides products and services in the areas of commercial and defense electronics, engineering and construction, and business and special mission aircraft. Raytheon has operations throughout the United States and serves customers in more than 80 countries around the world.