The era of 'one stop-shopping' for guided weapons has arrived. That's the message from newly-consolidated Raytheon, flying its flag at Asian Aerospace '98 for the first time.
Bringing together the product lines of Raytheon, Hughes and Texas Instruments, the new corporation has a consolidated turnover of $20.5 billion, making it the third-largest defence company in the world.
Structure
The new structure includes Raytheon Systems (guided weapons and defence systems), Raytheon Electronics, Raytheon Aircraft and Raytheon Engineers and Construction.
"This is the first major show we are participating in as our new company," says Ed Cobleigh, director of international business development for Raytheon Systems.
Cobleigh stresses that the new giant company was not "downsize driven" but came together because of the need for synergy across products.
"Defence electronics is considered a growth area in the US because the electronic content of weapons systems is going up," says Cobleigh.
"Worldwide it is a growth area. There are fewer platforms being made so the need for defence electronics is greater."
Raytheon Systems is the world's largest producer of guided weapons and it is able to offer a customer "a full spectrum capability" from short-range heat-seeking Stinger surface-to-air missiles to submarine-launched Tomahawk land attack missiles and Paveway laser-guided bomb kits.
Cobleigh says video footage of guided weapon effects in the 1991 Gulf War had reinforced the deterrent effect of allied forces. "People around the world contemplating mischief can tune into CNN to see the effect of our weapons."
Upgraded
Cobleigh says the weapons used eight years ago against Iraq have been considerably upgraded.
He highlights the GBU-28 "deep throat" bunker-busting bomb: "To say it has been improved is an understatement."
Raytheon has a long-term commitment to the Asia-Pacific region, he says. "You don't build relationships with customers by bugging out when the going gets tough."
Source: Flight Daily News