Raytheon Unveils Several Firsts at Empire Challenge 09

Intelligence demonstration shared vital reconnaissance information among joint and coalition operations
CHINA LAKE, Calif., Sept. 2, 2009 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN - News) unveiled several firsts while playing a significant role in Empire Challenge 09.
A recent joint military demonstration, Empire Challenge 09 highlighted how U.S. and coalition forces can better work together to collect, share and analyze intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) information.
Raytheon's technology, including the U.S. Air Force's Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Block 10.2 and the DCGS Integration Backbone (DIB), was prevalent in several key systems during the demonstration. Raytheon also unveiled a new multi-intelligence tool called MULTI-INT Exploitation Tool, or MIETool.
Raytheon used its rapid High-Speed Guard cross-domain solution to share secure data between enclaves. The service enabled ISR information exchanges between U.S. and coalition partners at sites worldwide via the DIB and Raytheon's Multi-sensor Aerospace-ground Joint ISR Interoperability Coalition system.
For the second year, Raytheon High-Speed Guard transmitted multiple, simultaneous high-definition and standard-definition video feeds while supporting thousands of cross-domain DIB queries and product retrievals. High-Speed Guard moved hundreds of imagery files and a half-million cursor on-target messages every day. The High-Speed Guard supported more than five times as much traffic as previous Empire Challenge events while using the same legacy hardware.
"Bringing the best and most innovative information-sharing technologies to this year's Empire Challenge provided our engineers the opportunity to test best-of-breed technologies in a real-world environment," said William P. Jones, vice president of Raytheon's Defense and Civil Mission Solutions. "We had the opportunity to unveil several new firsts that will provide new capabilities for our warfighters and give them an advantage in current operations."
Raytheon and the Air Force demonstrated a scalable DCGS system with enhanced flexibility for mobile units and small units at the demonstration. They showcased key elements of the DCGS Block 10.2 by delivering imagery exploitation, Web-centric information sharing and situational awareness for command and control ISR within a single integrated solution. Raytheon leveraged the open standards DIB v1.3 by seamlessly integrating the key imagery exploitation, National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) data and multi-intelligence visualization aspects of DCGS 10.2 provided by the scalable DCGS service.
Raytheon and the Air Force achieved another significant first when fourth-generation fighter "TWENTYGLOW ELINT" data was successfully ingested and cataloged by the scalable DCGS system and displayed in near-real time in unison with other intelligence data using the DCGS Block 10.2 multi-intelligence visualization capability provided from Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Raytheon also unveiled its new MIETool, which successfully produced an exploitation product depicted on Google Earth containing electronic intelligence information overlaid on a Global Hawk NITF image. This application provides analysts with a single integrated application for multisource exploitation and fusion with a detailed DIB query capability, an automated image and video retrieval mechanism and a user-controllable overlay system.
The MIETool allows analysts to spend more time on the exploitation and fusion process and less time on the information infrastructure, allowing them to complete their tasks quicker and with greater accuracy. The MIETool also boasts retrieval and exploitation capabilities, video stream playback with frame capture, and image retrieval and creation of moving target indicators and tracks from motion imagery and full-motion video.
Raytheon IIS is a leading provider of intelligence and information solutions, specializing in ground processing, unmanned ground systems, cybersecurity operations, homeland security and other markets to resolve the most complex problems for our customers worldwide. IIS had 2008 revenues of $3.1 billion and employs more than 9,000 engineering and technical professionals worldwide.
Raytheon Company, with 2008 sales of $23.2 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 87 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 73,000 people worldwide.