Raytheon produces airborne hyperspectral sensor for U.S. Air Force

PARIS, 20 June 2011. Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) won a U.S. Air Force contract to produce the first airborne tactical hyperspectral sensor system: the Airborne Cueing and Exploitation System Hyperspectral (ACES HY). ACES HY, an infrared sensor system that identifies targets based on their spectral characteristics, completed flight testing on a manned Twin Otter aircraft, which was used as a surrogate for the MQ-1 Predator unmanned system, in September 2010.

"A solid partnership with the Air Force enabled rapid development and fielding of this hyperspectral system," explains Tim Carey, vice president, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Systems for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "It supports our customer with low-risk technology built on generations of successful Raytheon electro-optical infrared sensor systems. And we're committed to delivering reliable systems that keep our customers safe and help them achieve mission success."

Raytheon, the prime systems integrator for ACES HY, leads team members L3 Integrated Optical Systems and Space Computer Corp. The U.S. Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base manages the ACES HY Program.