ARLINGTON, TEXAS, March 2, 1998 -- Raytheon Systems Company's training unit announced today receipt of a $10.3 million contract from the U.S. Navy to manufacture and install two F/A-18C tactical operational flight trainers.

The new F/A-18C tactical operational flight trainers will train Navy active duty pilots in field and carrier takeoffs and landings, low altitude flight, air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons delivery, electronic countermeasures and emergency procedures.

These trainers will permit Navy pilots to develop and refine their air-to-air combat skills through realistic interaction with a wide variety of adversaries. The offensive and defensive skill level of the adversaries may also be varied to support a variety of mission scenarios.

Air-to-ground missions will be supported by targets of surface-to-air missiles, antiaircraft artillery and early warning radar sites.

A simulation of an aircraft carrier will enable Navy F/A-18C pilots to practice normal and emergency carrier operations.

"This is another in the long line of aircrew trainers we've developed in support of the Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18 program," said Dale Reis, general manager of the Command, Control and Communiations Systems segment of Raytheon System Company. "These latest trainers combine the capabilities of our fully validated F/A-18 operational flight trainer with the tactical features of our F/A-18 weapons tactics trainers.

"We'll also leverage reuse of common software and technology features presently being used in the design of the new F/A-18F simulator we're building for the Navy," Reis added. "This will enable us to deliver F/A-18C tactical operational flight trainers that meet Navy training requirements and produce significant life cycle cost benefits."

The simulators, which will be delivered to Naval Air Station Lemoore in Lemoore, California and Naval Air Station Oceana in Norfolk, Virginia, will be ready for training in early 1999.

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.