Raytheon Company is being awarded two contracts totaling $241.8 million to overhaul and upgrade 34 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems for the U.S. Navy and one system for the Royal Australian Navy. Raytheon will also build 12 Land-Based Phalanx Weapon Systems for the U.S. Army and provide associated hardware to all three services under the agreements. A small part of the work will occur in Tucson at Raytheon Missile Systems, with the majority of work performed in Louisville, KY.

Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20 mm gun system that automatically acquires, tracks and destroys enemy threats. More than 850 sea-based systems have been built and deployed in the navies of 25 nations.

"These systems represent our commitment to provide vital protection against threats ranging from supersonic anti-ship missiles and small, fast surface craft at sea to rockets, artillery and mortars in the land-based configuration," said Kevin Peppe, Raytheon's CIWS systems director.

"Phalanx is a critical element in the ship self-defense role," said Peppe. "LPWS has the proven capability to defeat in-coming threats while they are still airborne, providing unequalled protection to forces and civilians on the ground."

The Phalanx is currently installed on about 187 U.S. Navy ships and is in use in 20 foreign navies.

Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 85 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.