Military contracts add up for Raytheon

Raytheon Technical Services Co. in Indianapolis won a $31.1 million contract to provide cryptographic services for the U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.

It is the sixth sizable military deal the local operation has scored this year. The contracts are worth at least $420 million, with the potential for more.

The most recent agreement calls for Raytheon to provide a common crypto solution for military devices and support radios using several different frequencies using National Security Agency-certified reprogrammable equipment. Contractor support, analysis and data rights also are included.

Officials said $4.8 million already has been obligated to the program, which is being overseen by personnel at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.

A division of massive defense and government contractor Raytheon Co. of Waltham, Mass., the 1,100-employee local operation has landed at least five other sizable military contracts this year.

In October, Raytheon won a $47 million deal to make infrared systems for U.S. Army armored vehicles. That came on the heels of a $42 million contract to make forward-looking infrared sensors for the U.S. Air Force’s HH-60G helicopter.

In late June, it won a $250 million contract to work on software that controls electronics on the U.S. Navy’s V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.

In March, it was awarded a $32.4 million deal to develop a bomb rack for Navy airplanes. If the Navy executes a full manufacturing contract, it could be worth another $169 million to Raytheon.

Also in March, Raytheon got an $18.9 million Navy contract to make guided missile launchers for F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets.

The military work has been a boon to Raytheon’s Indianapolis plant at 6125 E. 21st St., which shed 77 jobs last September.

Its parent company employs more than 75,000 people worldwide, pulling in revenue of $25 billion in 2009.