CANBERRA 30 November 2006- At a ceremony earlier today, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) announced the extension of Raytheon Australia’s contract to provide operations and maintenance support to the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) at Tidbinbilla. As part of the contract, Raytheon Australia will deliver engineering development, maintenance, as well as education and outreach through the Canberra Space Centre.

The CDSCC is the primary focus for NASA’s space-communications activities within Australia, and is one of three such facilities around the world forming NASA's Deep Space Network. The network provides continuous, two-way radio contact with spacecraft, as well as radio and radar astronomy observations. Similar facilities are located in Spain and the United States.

Raytheon Australia Managing Director, Ron Fisher, said “meeting our commitments to our customers and partners is the performance challenge that engages all of the 1,100 employees at Raytheon Australia. Today’s contract extension is an important milestone for the company.”

“I am delighted with the successful partnership we have forged with the CSIRO to deliver operations and maintenance support to the NASA Deep Space Network. This success is testament to the considerable efforts of the entire Raytheon Australia CDSCC team. They have reaffirmed the company's strong reputation as a mission support agency of choice,” Mr. Fisher added.

Speaking at today’s event, Calum Drummond, Division Chief, Industrial Physics for CSIRO, said “since 2003, Raytheon Australia’s delivery of operation and maintenance support at the CDSCC has been of such a high standard that we take pleasure in announcing the extension of this contract for an additional two years.” 

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Raytheon Australia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN). Raytheon, with 2005 sales of US$21.9 billion, is an industry leader in defence and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.