US based companies have led the way for several innovations and developments in aerospace. Browse through the third part of the article to know more about the initiatives of companies like Raytheon and Honeywell.

Raytheon Company

Established in 1922 as a refrigeration company, Raytheon soon moved into electronics. During World War II, Raytheon manufactured radar systems for early warning against aerial threats and ship-borne radars for detection of submarines. Known by its present name since 1959, Raytheon Company is now a global technology and innovation leader. With its headquarters at Waltham, Massachusetts, 75,000 employees worldwide, and sales of $25 billion (Rs. 1,15,000 crore), it is a major defence contractor providing state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing, C3I systems and in a broad range of mission support services. Until early 2007, the company also manufactured corporate and special-mission aircraft.

Soon after the War, Raytheon developed the Lark missile, the first guided missile that could destroy target aircraft in flight. The company also developed the air-to-air Sparrow, ground-to-air Hawk missiles, the Patriot anti-missile system and the air-to-air Phoenix system.

Defence Electronics

In an effort to establish leadership in the defence electronics business, Raytheon purchased six companies in the US engaged in this line of business and shed several non-defence business activities of its own. Currently, the Raytheon company has six business divisions—Integrated Defence Systems, Intelligence and Information Systems, Missile Systems, Network Centric Systems, Raytheon Technical Services, and Space and Airborne Systems. In recent years, Raytheon has identified key areas of business namely homeland security, missile defence, precision engagement, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance systems and process improvement.

Raytheon’s electronics and defence systems units produce air, sea and land launched missiles, airborne radar systems including active electronically scanned array radar, weapons sights and targeting systems, communication and battle-management systems and satellite components electro-optical sensors and other advanced electronics systems for airborne, naval and ground-based military applications. Its airborne radar systems have been fitted on aircraft such as the F-15, F/A-18, F-22, and the B2 Bomber. In the ground-based-radar segment, the company has made the large fixed-site radars such as Pave Paws, BMEWS and the Missile Defence Agency X-Band Radar and the upgraded early warning radar.

Space

Raytheon is an acknowledged leader in space with well developed domain knowledge and expertise consolidated over four decades in the areas of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at the strategic, operational and tactical levels, secure communications, weather, water, climate and environment monitoring, ballistic missile defence and space-based navigation and early warning.

In collaboration with Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman respectively, Raytheon is involved in the development of sensors for satellites such as space tracking and surveillance system for the ballistic missile defence and next-generation satellite communications system. It is also developing a ground based interceptor consisting of a booster missile and a Kinetic exo-atmospheric kill vehicle.

Missile Systems

Raytheon is the world leader in design, development and production of guided missile systems. It has developed successful air-to-surface weapon systems such as the AGM-65 Maverick, AGM-88 HARM and AGM-154 joint standoff weapon. It has also developed weapon systems such as the AGM-129 advanced cruise missile and the BGM-109 Tomahawk. The airto-air missiles include the AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder and the AIM-120 AMRAAM.