Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN) has won a $191 million U.S. Air Force contract to provide 149 multispectral targeting systems for the branch’s General Atomics-built MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles.
The company will begin delivering the systems in January 2013 and also provide support systems and spares, according to a Tuesday company announcement.
Raytheon said the system aims to provide long-range surveillance, target acquisition and laser designation for the HELLFIRE missile and NATO and tri-service laser-guided munitions.
It has been previously installed in the MQ-9 Reaper and is also operational in aircraft used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the UK and Italy.
The U.S. Navy has also previously selected to receive and install some systems in its MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance unmanned aircraft, which is built by Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC).
