Device leverages the Google Android mobile platform for warfighter use

08:45 GMT, October 8, 2009 WASHINGTON | Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) is debuting at the 2009 Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition a breakthrough mobile device for faster intelligence sharing.

The Raytheon Android Tactical System (RATS) delivers multimedia content faster and in less time to warfighters. Using RATS will provide them with a common mobile device that now can be used on the battlefield.

"RATS provides our U.S. military forces with a last mile of connectivity for delivering images and full motion video to our warfighters," said Mark Bigham, vice president of Raytheon's Defense and Civil Mission Solutions. "Utilizing existing technologies provides developers the ability to focus on requirements that our warfighters need now."

The RATS device disseminates vital intelligence data via the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Intelligence Backbone (DIB) architecture system. Information is instantly viewed on the DIB and searchable to mobile device users and other users. Raytheon has demonstrated how the device provides the warfighter the ability to make decisions in seconds and minutes, rather than hours.

Raytheon is developing applications or "wigets" for intelligence collection and analysis to be used on the Google Android, such as license plate reading, streaming video camera feeds and biometric collection (facial recognition, for example). These applications will enhance warfighers' safety by providing tactical alerts based on the intelligence collected.

Bigham added, "We are providing an innovative technology that is available in the commercial market and applying it to warfighter needs."