Raytheon Louisville Gets Big Contract

Raytheon Missile Systems has received its biggest order yet for its Louisville-made Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, a rapid-fire naval weapon designed to shoot down incoming missiles and planes.

The $369 million Defense Department contract includes orders for 14 land-based Phalanx systems for the Army, which has deployed several of the high-tech Gatling guns in Iraq. They are used to intercept rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds.

The land systems are basically the same as the naval guns, said Raytheon spokesman John Eagles, but their computer programming allows them to interact with other Army radars and sensors.

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