Raytheon update

by Shane OCurry - FEIC (Foyle Ethical Investment Campaign) - personal capacity Thu Mar 27, 2003 14:34 shaneocurry at fastmail dot fm

In full view of the media and after a discussion with the security guard at the door to the "science park" building in which Raytheon have their offices, during which our "Weapons Inspector" dressed in a white boiler suit demanded and was denied access to the site, one of us opened the second of the double doors and a dozen of us walked past the guerd into the building. We then walked up one flight of stairs and occupied the space in front of the Raytheon offices. You need a swipe card to get into the offices. Then a not very bright Raytheon employee ( a manager i think) walked in and we caught the door behind him. We all walked in, announced to the employees that we were engaging in a nonviolent peaceful action, that they had nothing to fear. We unfurled banners out the window. ("raytheon = arms trade = murder", "Raytheon; making a KILLING in Iraq") Our UN Inspector began reading aloud from corporate documentation. Simultaneously I read aloud Robert Fisk's account of the aftermath of yesterday's massacre in the market in Baghdad from the London Independent

http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=391165

The employees looked a little bemused and left their workstations while management stayed behind. Inside the staff seemed to be split between Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL) and CSC (computer services company), a Raytheon subsidiary. There were clocks showing the time in Derry, Massachusets and Tucson Arizona(where they make the missiles), but none for the time in Baghdad or Basra or even Kabul. Eventually Raytheon management called the RUC/PSNI who came to ask us to leave, that we were breaking the law. we told them we were protesting the immoral manufacture of weapons for a war that is illegal. We said we'd leave at 10 30. The officer in charge said no, that if we didn't leave we'd be charged with breach of the peace. Eventually we compromised and said we'd leave , together, and with our hands in the air. But then they started picking us off one by one. Dragging us off, searching us, reading the contents of our diaries etc. The officer who was searching me got very excited about my homework for my Irish language class. Information likely to be of use to terrorists, no doubt. Two of us had our cameras confiscated. We were escorted outside where we were interviewed by the press. Raytheon told the press they would not engage in dialogue because the MOD had advised them not to engage with the press. It was a great action and a great follow up on the one two days ago which foorced Derry City council to change its position. (see newswire
http://www.indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=38149&start=30 )

So what's all the fuss about? What do raytheon Do?
Read on;

Raytheon make the Tomahawk Cruise Missiles and the Patriot Missiles which caused the massacre yesterday in the market in Baghdad. Also "Daisy Cutters" and the JSOW joint stand-off weapon (cluster bombs) which have been used in Basra and other cities.

To help you report this relationship accurately, we attach a list of some of the Raytheon weapons used in the war. These can all be verified as Raytheon product at the Raytheon website at:

http://www.raytheon.com/products/catprlist.htm

Missile Systems

Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM)

Advanced Gun System Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP)

AGM-65 Maverick

AIM-9 Sidewinder

AIM-9M Sidewinder
AIM-9X Next Generation Sidewinder
AIM-54 Phoenix Missile
AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM)
AN/AAS-52 Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS)
Black Sparrow Air-Launched Ballistic Target
Brilliant Anti-Armor (BAT) Submunition
Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM)
Excalibur Precision-Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile
Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV)
Extended Range Guided Munition (ERGM)
HARM Targeting System (HTS)
HAWK Air Defense Missile
High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM)
JAVELIN Anti-tank Weapon System
Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
Paveway Laser Guided Bomb (LGB)
Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS)
Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM)
SEA RAM Anti-Ship Missile Defense System
SM-3 Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) Kinetic Warhead
Sparrow Missile
STANDARD Missile
Stinger Missile
Tomahawk Cruise Missile
Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW 2A)
Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW 2B)
Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-guided (TOW)

Air/Missile Defense Systems

AN/FPS-108 Cobra Dane Radar System
AN/FPS-120, AN/FPS-123 (V7), and AN/FPS-126, Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS) Radars
AN/FPS-123 (V)3 Pave Paws Early Warning Radar System
AN/SPQ-11, Cobra Judy Radar System
HAWK/AMRAAM Air Defense System
HUMRAAM Advanced Air Defense Guided Missile System
Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS)
Long-Range Theater Ballistic Missile (TBM) Early Warning Radar
National Missile Defense (NMD X-Band Radart (XBR)
Patriot Missile System
Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Radar

by Kevin-Scott Thu Mar 27, 2003 15:09

Derry is in New Hampshire not in Massachusetts, just north of the Massachusetts border. Raytheon corporate offices are located in Lexington, Massachusetts just west of Boston.

by Shane OCurry Thu Mar 27, 2003 15:46

What I wrote about the clocks wasn't that clear; One clock was for Derry (ie here in the north of Ireland), one for Lexington, Mass. (I just couldn't remember lexington) and the third Tucson, Az.

by terminator X Thu Mar 27, 2003 16:40

What time is it Boyzzzz

Dont believe the hype - it's a sequel
fight the powers that be

Carry around clocks for Baghdad

by easy-e - what time is it in Baghdad? Thu Mar 27, 2003 16:56

Just go here