TUCSON, Ariz., Aug. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army
and Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) successfully test fired an AIM-9X
Block II missile from the Army's ground-based Indirect Fire
Protection Capability Increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1
Multi-Mission Launcher (MML).
AIM-9X is traditionally fired from aircraft toward aerial
targets and this test demonstrated that the latest AIM-9X can be
used in both air-to-air combat and now, without modification, in
ground-based air defense.
The AIM-9X missile first locked onto an unmanned aerial system
(UAS) before launch, and then intercepted and destroyed the UAS,
which was flying 1,500 meters above ground level.
"This is another example of how Raytheon is leveraging its
proven portfolio of products to fulfill gaps in other mission
areas, such as ground-based air defense," said Mike Jarrett, Raytheon Air Warfare Systems vice
president. "AIM-9X can perform well against fighter aircraft,
unmanned aerial systems or cruise missiles and retain the 'first
look, first shot, first kill' reputation – in the air and from the
ground."
This test also validated the operation and design of the Army's
prototype IFPC Multi-Mission Launcher and demonstrated the surface
launch performance of the AIM-9X Block II missile against a
UAS.
About AIM-9X
- AIM-9X is a U.S. Navy-led, joint Navy and U.S. Air Force
program, with program offices in Patuxent
River, Md., and Tucson,
Ariz.
- Raytheon has more than 14 years producing AIM-9X missiles.
- AIM-9X entered operational service in 2003; international
deliveries began in 2005.
- Block II development began in 2011 and completed operational
test and evaluation in early 2015.
- The US Navy declared initial operational capability with the
Block II in March 2015.
- The Block II will also be the baseline effector for the US Army
Indirect Fires Protection Capability Increment 2, Block 1 making
AIM-9X a true dual use missile, effective in either air-to-air or
surface-to-air applications with no modifications required to the
missile.
- AIM-9X currently has 18 international customers, nine original
Block I customers followed by nine new and 5 repeat Block II
customers.
- AIM-9X reliability for the currently fielded system has reached
three and one half times the required mean time between
failures.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23
billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and
innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government
and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. With a history
of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon 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 cybersecurity and a broad
range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in
Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit www.raytheon.com
and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.
Media Contact
Ashley Mehl
+1.520.794.5142
rmspr@raytheon.com
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SOURCE Raytheon Company