Raytheon to Produce GPS-Related Advanced Anti-Jamming Antenna System

Harlow, UK: A subsidiary of Raytheon Company has received a US Air Force contract for initial production of the GPS Advanced Digital Antenna Production system (ADAP). The ADAP system protects GPS-based navigation and precise timing systems from deliberate jamming and accidental interference.

The US Air Force Global Positioning Systems Wing award to Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL), which is valued at $1.4 million, provides for 41 antenna electronics and 28 controlled reception pattern antenna to equip US Navy surface platforms and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

The ADAP system is a successor to the highly successful GAS-1 GPS antenna system that has been in continuous production at RSL since 1998.

Current orders include more than 5,000 units for the US government and foreign military sales customers. To date more than 4,500 GAS-1 units have been delivered to the US government, achieving more than eight continuous years of 100 percent on-time delivery.

Compared to earlier analogue technology, ADAP provides significantly more GPS anti-jam protection against complex jamming scenarios and has been "ruggedized" and qualified for an extended mean time between failure.

Jim Trail, RSL chief operating officer, said: "We have just had our best year ever for our GPS anti-jam product line. This is a growing part of the business, as demonstrated by the increased demand for our current GAS product and this first order for our new more advanced ADAP product by the US government. We have invested in a new production operation in response to the increase in the level of business and will be particularly busy in 2009 meeting our customer orders."

Raytheon Systems Limited is a prime contractor and major supplier to the UK ministry of defence and is involved in numerous, high-priority programs for the US department of defence. RSL designs, develops and manufactures a range of high-technology defense and commercial electronic systems at its facilities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.