Raytheon Awarded Helicopter Sensor Contract

Raytheon was awarded a $13 million contract from the U.S. Army to develop additional sensor prototypes for the Advanced Distributed Aperture System (ADAS), which gives helicopter pilots 360-degree situational awareness. The award is the first extension of the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration contract, initially funded in September 2008. Raytheon said the original system provides up to six infrared sensors and a combined helmet display showing a full view of the cockpit and other parts of the helicopter, including the engines and tail rotor. Additional capabilities to be provided by Raytheon under the new contract include an indicator of hostile fire, landing-assist symbols that appear on the helmet display for operation in low visibility, and infrared search-and-track and three-dimensional audio systems. "These new capabilities improve the helicopter pilot's situational awareness," said Tim Carey, vice president for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "This high-resolution sensor system prototype has been demonstrated during test flights and has proved to provide the maneuverability and performance that our soldiers need."