Remaining at the forefront of the AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar revolution, Raytheon Company is marking 10 years of advanced radar flight.

A squadron of Air Force F-15Cs was the first to become operational with the world's first tactical AESA radar systems in December 2000.

The company has achieved several other significant firsts in 2010: the first to exceed 150,000 AESA flight hours, the first international deliveries of AESA-equipped Super Hornets to the Royal Australian Air Force, and the rollout of the Air National Guard's first AESA-equipped F-15C.

"Raytheon's AESA technology has served the men and women in the field over the past decade, and we are just beginning to truly understand the tactical advantages the technology brings to the warfighter," said Rick Yuse, president of Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems.

"Our teams continue to push the envelope of next-generation development as we constantly work to refine and enhance the technology. Our goal is to develop AESA antennas that are lighter, thinner and more flexible to open up new options for customers who require AESA technology for a wide range of applications."

"This is a near-term innovation," said Roy Azevedo, vice president for Advanced Concepts and Technology at Space and Airborne Systems.

"We are currently looking at several approaches for enabling a conformal application of AESA that is extremely low weight, around 2 to 5 pounds per square foot - that's 10 times lighter than current systems and less than an inch thick. We believe this type of technology could become available within two to five years for customers requiring AESA capabilities for UAVs or other uses."