[10-02-07 – Satellite Today]  Raytheon Co. will be allowed to continue with development of the Navy Multiband Terminal, the Navy has directed following a review of the original decision.

The contract for the three-year, $960 million system was awarded May to Raytheon in May, and losing bidder Harris Corp. filed a protest. The Navy reviewed the award and reaffirmed that Raytheon offered the best value solution, the company announced.

Raytheon Network Centric Systems will develop, deliver and support an advanced satellite communication system consisting of shipboard and shore-based communication terminals for the transformational communications component of the Navy’s FORCEnet architecture.

The Navy expects to field the terminals for operational test and evaluation in late 2009, pursuant to U.S. Department of Defense plans for its advanced extremely high frequency satellite constellation to be operational in 2010.