Raytheon Company has received its first international order for the Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared pod worth US$62m.
The US Navy order will see Raytheon provide the pods to the Australian and Swiss airforces.
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The foreign military sale award calls for the delivery of 18 ATFLIR systems to Australia to equip its new F/A-18 F Block II+ Super Hornets.
Raytheon will also provide one ATFLIR pod to Switzerland as part of an upgrade programme for its F/A-18C Hornets, with the option to purchase up to 14 more pods in 2009.
“Australia and Switzerland will benefit from a combat-proven targeting pod that is performing strongly as the programme of record for the navy with a hot production line,” said Joe Studer, ATFLIR International Business Development Manager for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems.
“The pods they receive will include engineering improvements and spiral technology advancements made previously under the navy programme without any additional development cost to our first international customers.”
The contract also includes delivery of ATFLIR spare parts to the navy and the two foreign air forces.
By Elizabeth Clifford-Marsh
