OREANDA-NEWS. The U.S. Air Force has awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $29.6 million contract to install MXF-626K VHF Communications Systems on 178 C-130H Hercules aircraft. The upgrade ensures C-130 radios comply with newly adopted European Air Traffic Management requirements by providing 8.33 kilohertz (kHz) channel spacing in the range of 118 to 137 megahertz (MHz).

"In today's complex battlespace, reliable communications is more important than ever before," said Scott Whatmough, vice president of Integrated Communications Systems for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business. "Our focus is on ensuring Hercules operators can communicate freely, reliably and securely wherever their missions take them, and we are proud to partner with the U.S. Air Force to expand this critically important capability across the C-130 fleet."   

The MXF-626K is a VHF tactical communications system that provides high quality, reliable, air-to-air and air-to-ground Line of Sight SINCGARS (single channel ground and air radio system), Air Traffic Control, and Maritime Band operations in single channel and frequency hopping modes to more than 400 C-130H and C-130J aircraft. The MXF-626K is a designed form/fit and functional replacement for the ARC-186 radio presently onboard C-130H aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon two previous contracts to upgrade the C-130H1, the ski equipped LC-130 used in Arctic and Antarctic missions, and other variants of the C-130H with MXF-626K radios for 8.33 kHz channel spacing.

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.