OREANDA-NEWS. The U.S. Navy extended Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract on the Joint Precision Approach Landing Systems (JPALS) program. Raytheon will continue testing and analysis in support of auto-land capability and integration of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The contract value is $52 million.

"The JPALS program is a collaboration between the U.S. Navy and Raytheon," said Brian Hickey, director, Raytheon Navigation and Landing Systems. "Landing a high-powered, high-speed aircraft on a moving carrier in rough seas is an exceptionally difficult task. The progress we've made is resulting in truly game changing technology for Navy pilots."

JPALS works with the GPS satellite navigation system to provide accurate, reliable and high-integrity guidance for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. The system features anti-jam protection to ensure mission continuity in hostile environments and enables precision landings in all weather and environmental conditions.

Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 93 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 cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.