Raytheon's Precision Attack Air-to-Surface Missile Successfully Fired from Rotary Wing Aircraft

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 19, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- A Raytheon Company Precision
Attack Air-to-Surface Missile (PAASM) was successfully launched Dec. 13 from a
rotary-winged, unmanned aerial vehicle (UH-1) at White Sands Missile Range,
N.M.

The missile was fired from a standard M299 digital launcher and met
planned test objectives. Upon receiving the launch command, the PAASM missile
successfully ignited and separated from the M299 launcher and transitioned
into stable flight.

The demonstration validated the capability of the Raytheon team to
configure and integrate the missile system onto a standard, digital single
rail M299 launcher and satisfy standoff range and environmental requirements
for a helicopter/UAV extended-range, precision air-to-surface missile.

"The Raytheon demonstration was a significant milestone for the team as
PAASM provides an alternative, low cost missile solution to existing joint,
extended range, rotary wing precision strike requirements," said Ken Pedersen,
Raytheon Missile Systems vice president, Advanced Programs. "Additionally,
Apache Block 2/3, ARH, AH-1Z, Warrior, Predator B and Future Combat System's
Unmanned Aerial Systems will all be 'net enabled' platforms and will be able
to fully utilize the networked capability of PAASM."

PAASM is a joint, multi-platform, precision strike missile designed to
engage and destroy stationary, re-locatable and moving targets ranging from
buildings and bunkers to tactical vehicles and advanced armor. The weapon is
also optimized to fight in today's urban and complex terrain environment and
destroy naval targets such as patrol craft. PAASM could be available in
production as early as 2009 to support modern, tri-service rotary wing, UAV
and special operations platforms.