Swift Engineering and Raytheon Team for the Navy/Marine Corps’ STUAS/Tier II UAS Competition

Building a new UAS paradigm – Expeditionary, Interoperable, Persistent, and Affordable.

San Clemente, CA, USA; 17 July 2007 – Swift Engineering Inc., a leading manufacturer of aircraft, aerospace and designer of highly engineered vehicles, has chosen to team with Raytheon Company (www.raytheon.com) to pursue the STUAS/Teir II competition providing a dynamic solution to meet the Navy’s and Marine Corps’ critical requirements for a state-of-the-art small tactical unmanned aircraft system.

Swift Engineering, Inc. has designed and created the KillerBee Unmanned System for just such a role, and feels that Raytheon will provide the expertise in defense systems assuring a successful STUAS/Tier II bid.

"The need for a robust UAS that will allow sailors and Marines to operate in demanding environments both aboard ships and ashore" said Rick Egan, President of Swift Engineering, "drove our design team to create a system that meets or exceeds all proposed Navy and Marine Corps requirements today, with a capacity to adapt for more challenging missions tomorrow."

KBUAS Features

Expeditionary, Shipboard Compatible and Runway Independent. The system – Trailer/Launcher, Recovery Net, 3 KB4s, and the Ground Control Station (GCS) – fit inside two ISO 20’ containers and are transportable inside an MV-22 as well as HMMWV towable.

Interoperable, Integrated, and offering Fully Autonomous Missions. The GCS will be integrated through a common C2 architecture and the operator interface will be STANAG 4586 level 5 compliant.

Persistent ISR with Multiple Sensors available for Multiple Missions. A Payload capacity of up to 66 lbs allows for adaptable and flexible fuel loads and combinations of sensors.

Affordable. The system requires minimum maintenance, and total Life Cycle Costs will be a fraction of currently available systems.

Swift and Raytheon – Complementary Characteristics for STUAS/Tier II Competition
In the air and on the ground, the Swift KBUAS outperforms any vehicle in the STUAS/Tier II competitive class. Swift designed the KBUAS to provide tailored and more effective support to Navy and Marine Corps units prosecuting missions across the range of military operations. Other STUAS/Tier II competitors have recognized the fact that no other currently available system could accommodate as many varied sizes and weights of payloads and have the range and endurance of the KBUAS while requiring only three people to operate the aircraft.

Raytheon saw these attributes as proof of Swift Engineering’s emphasis on using best business and manufacturing processes, commercial off-the-shelf technologies, line-replaceable units, and the nuanced application of a design philosophy focused on incorporating an open architecture approach to systems integration.

The two companies will now combine their notable strengths in research, engineering, and production capacity in a specifically focused teaming effort for the Navy and Marine Corps STUAS/Tier II competition in order to bring essential capabilities to the warfighter all within the 10-foot wingspan of the KBUAS’ blended wing body.

About Swift Engineering, Inc.
Founded in 1983 and headquartered in San Clemente, CA, Swift Engineering is a leading provider of light weight aerodynamic structures and high performance vehicles. The company's products support commercial and U.S. national security initiatives in highly complex environments requiring world-class engineering reliability, scalability, flexibility, and rapid manufacturing. For more information on Swift Engineering, please visit: www.swiftengineering.com

About Raytheon Company
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.