Raytheon, Pioneering Technology for 75 Years!

Back in 1922 two former college roommates, Laurence K. Marshall and Vannevar Bush, along with scientist Charles G. Smith, founded Raytheon Company in Cambridge, Mass., as the American Appliance Company.

For more than 75 years Raytheon has had a history of developing cutting edge technologies for use in the defense department as well as the private sector. Starting with such innovations as radio tubes and World War II radar technology that later lead to the invention of microwave cooking, Raytheon also developed the first guided missile. With this kind of track record, it's no wonder they have been a global leader of technology for many years!

Other innovations of note are:

• The Beginning
  In 1922, Raytheon Company is founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts under the name of the American Appliance Company. Their original charter was to "engage in the manufacture, design, production and sale of machinery, motors and their components."

• Bringing Radio to the Masses
  Their "gaseous rectifier" is the first to allow radios to be plugged into wall sockets rather than relying on expensive, short-lived batteries. Introduced in 1925, this technological breakthrough makes radios affordable and accessible to every household, paving the way for widespread radio usage and changing the direction of the entire radio industry. They marketed the product under the brand name Raytheon.

• A Beam of Light From the Gods
  In 1925, the company's name is officially changed to Raytheon Manufacturing Company (after an Indiana company lays claim to the American Appliance Company name). "Ray" is derived from the Old French word "rai", which means "beam of light", while "theon" comes from Greek and is translated as "from the gods".

• WWII Brings Raytheon Into the Defense Industry
  When Britain faces an urgent need to mass-produce magnetron tubes for their radar defense against Nazi Luftwaffe raids, they turn to American companies for solutions. Raytheon's Percy Spencer suggests a radically innovative manufacturing process that would not only simplify production, it would also improve the radar's performance. After at first being considered too small to be in the running for the contract, Raytheon ultimately beats out giants such as Western Electric, RCA and GE. By the end of the war, we're producing 80 percent of all magnetrons

• Stealth on the High Seas
  In 1942, Raytheon's Fritz Gross develops the micro-wave Sea Going (SG) radar. As the world's first sub-marine detection system, this shipboard radar is unique in that it is invisible to the swarms of German U-boats roaming the Atlantic. By equipping U.S. PT boats with the radar (a feat other manufacturers previously claimed to be impossible), Raytheon helps swing the odds into the Allied forces' favor by enabling them to see at night and to search out and destroy enemy vessels.

• A Microwave Surprise
  Raytheon's Percy Spencer inadvertently discovers microwave cooking in 1945, when a candy bar in his pocket melts as he stands in front of a magnetron tube. Intrigued, he places popcorn kernels in front of the tube, and they quickly pop. Testing and development follow, and in 1947 Raytheon introduces "Radarange" microwave ovens. These refrigerator sized units are sold primarily to commercial customers, at a cost of $2000 to $3000

• Lunar Conquest
  Considered the greatest engineering feat in history (at the time), in1969 Apollo XI makes a successful trip to the moon and returns safely to earth. Raytheon contributes to the effort at the highest level, by designing and manufacturing the computer that guides the space vehicles in their historic journey. What's more, our on-board microwave tube transmits all the radio and television signals from the spacecraft to earth, enabling millions to witness this historic milestone.

• Revolution in the Kitchen
  In 1967, Raytheon introduces the first countertop domestic 100-volt microwave oven (under the Amana name). Smaller, safer and more reliable than previous models, this new oven ushers in the era of widespread acceptance of microwave cooking by consumers.
  
  
• Patriot Missile System
  In 1976, after nine years of development, Raytheon's SAM-D Surface-to-Air Missile enters full-scale production. Renamed "Patriot" in honor of the country's bicentennial, this leading-edge technology provides a new level of defense against high-performance aircraft.
  
  
• A Semiconductor Breakthrough
  1983, Raytheon introduces a solid state module made entirely with monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC). Initially used to transmit and receive radar signals, these circuits combine several functions on single, small chips of gallium arsenide. Today, MMIC technology is used in both military and commercial applications including radar and missile systems, point-to-point digital radios, wireless systems and satellite communications.
  
  
• The Patriot Proves its Worth
  1991's Persian Gulf war puts our Patriot to its toughest test. Our upgraded PAC-2 (Patriot Advanced Capability Phase 2) missile successfully intercepts and destroys Iraqi Scud missiles fired at Israel and Saudi Arabia. Credited with saving lives and changing the course of the war, the Patriot earns worldwide recognition as the first missile in history to successfully engage a hostile ballistic missile in combat.
  
  
• Protecting the Rainforest
  Our $1.4 billion contract from the Brazilian government calls for us to build and operate a radar-based environmental monitoring system for the Amazon River basin. SIVAM (System for Vigilance of the Amazon) is the most comprehensive project in history to preserve the planet's largest rain forest region. This integrated information network will be used to protect the environment; improve air safety; increase the accuracy of weather forecasting; assist in the detection, prevention and control of epidemics; manage land occupation and usage; and ensure effective law enforcement and border control.
  

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