Lockheed Martin, Raytheon to develop ground sensors

Raytheon Co., a subcontractor on the Defense Department's Future Combat Systems program, has made five awards for the design and development of ground sensor technology, the company said today.

Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin Corp. won two awards totaling $85 million, and Raytheon's own Network Centric Systems division in McKinney, Texas, won three awards for $223 million. Both companies will field sensors that help warfighters improve situational awareness on the battlefield.

Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon is the ground sensor integrator for the Future Combat Systems program. Chicago-based Boeing Co. and San Diego-based Science Applications International Corp. are the program's lead systems integrators.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control of Orlando, Fla., will develop a pair of sensors and subsystems for aiding target recognition and reconnaissance and surveillance.

"Warfighters will gain wide area search with aided target detection and recognition, and will be able to identify threats rapidly well beyond their lethal engagement range," said Tom Simmons, vice president at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Data and live video images from the system are transmitted via the integrated battlefield communications network to commanders who are able to make quick, well-informed, tactical decisions."

Raytheon will produce an electro-optical infrared sensor for identifying targets under adverse conditions, a multifunction radio frequency sensor to alert military vehicles of attack, and a combat identification sensor for determining whether soldiers in the battlefield are friendly or not.

As the ground sensor integrator, Raytheon is also in the process of awarding a sixth contract to develop a sensor for detecting chemicals using small unmanned ground vehicles.

Raytheon ranked No. 7 on Washington Technology's 2004 Top 100 list, which measures federal contracting revenue. Lockheed Martin ranked No. 1.