Raytheon Proves Advanced Anti-Submarine Capability with Successful Flight Test
Fish Hawk weapon system accurately flies more than 10 nautical miles to
preplanned target
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., May 14, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon
Company (NYSE: RTN) has entered the U.S. Navy's High Altitude
Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Concept (HAAWC) competition, successfully
demonstrating a new weapon system -- the Fish Hawk -- March 21 at the Eglin
flight demonstration range in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Fish Hawk is a kit that attaches to Raytheon's MK54 lightweight
torpedo and enables submarine-hunting aircraft like the P-8 Multi Mission
Maritime Aircraft and P-3 Orion to precisely deploy torpedoes from high
altitudes while standing off a safe distance from a target.
During the March demonstration, an aircraft flying at 15,000 feet
jettisoned a Fish Hawk-equipped dummy torpedo. The Fish Hawk's wings
rapidly deployed and the weapon system then glided more than 10 nautical
miles, splashing down well within the small target area and achieving all
primary test objectives.
"This flight test successfully demonstrated the ability of Fish Hawk to
accurately place the MK54 torpedo on target after release from a
high-altitude aircraft like the P-3 or P-8," said Ken Pedersen, Raytheon
vice president of Advanced Programs. "We look forward to leveraging our
expertise as the world's leader in precision guided munitions and
presenting the customer with a cost-effective design that meets or exceeds
all HAAWC requirements."
The kit is composed of wings that deploy after the system is released
from an aircraft, a control section and a Global Positioning
System-Inertial Navigation System precision guidance system. The kit is
designed to enable both the P-3 and P-8 to maximize loadout by deploying
the system from the aircraft bomb bay.
Fish Hawk offers new capabilities that will enable aircraft to launch
from higher altitudes and thus enhance survivability. The system also
provides longer time on station thanks to reduced fuel consumption.
Additionally, Fish Hawk reduces airframe stress because the aircraft is no
longer required to dive down to the target in order to deploy an
anti-submarine torpedo.
Raytheon Company, with 2007 sales of $21.3 billion, is a technology
leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government
markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 86
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 a
broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham,
Mass., Raytheon employs 72,000 people worldwide.
Note to Editors:
Co-developed by Raytheon and the U.S. Navy, the MK54 is a
next-generation anti-submarine warfare weapon that is deployed from a
surface ship, helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to track, classify, and
attack underwater targets. Sophisticated processing algorithms allow the
MK54 to analyze the information, edit out false targets and
countermeasures, and pursue identified threats. The MK54 is designed for
both deep water and littoral environments, making it the only lightweight
torpedo capable of striking any target in the world's oceans, regardless of
water depth.
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