Raytheon in tie-up for bagging aircraft order

Raytheon, US-based firms focussed on developing defence technologies, has been selected by Lockheed Martin to be the integrated electronic warfare suite provider for their F-16IN Super Viper. Lockheed is pitching this aircraft to the Indian Air Force for its Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme.

The suite, called the “advanced countermeasure electronics system” and is based on a system Raytheon is already working on for both the Hellenic Air Force (the Greek air force) and Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s.

With India mulling to replace its aging aircraft fighter fleets with 126 MMRCA, Raytheon believes it is in the right position to benefit from the massive India’s orders.

“But, India determines its needs. Agreement has been reached on the technology that can be sold,” said Michael C Henchey, vice president, Raytheon SAS International. With homeland security and defence being independent of the economic situation, Raytheon doesn’t see the global economic slowdown affecting it in anyway. Raytheon’s systems are used in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Raytheon has its clients spread over 70 countries.

Raytheon, which claims its systems are platform agnostic, is offering its technology which is “scaleable”.

This allows for the system to be retrofitted in an aircraft.