Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has entered into an agreement to acquire BBN Technologies, a privately-held research and development company and provider of critical solutions for national defense and security missions. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The transaction is not expected to materially impact revenue or earnings per share for the fourth quarter of 2009, and is expected to be accretive in 2010. Terms of the agreement are not being disclosed. BBN’s portfolio encompasses a range of technologies including advanced networking, speech and language technologies, information technologies, sensor systems, and cybersecurity. The company's deep scientific and engineering talent aligns well with Raytheon's expertise and commitment to excellence. BBN Technologies has a long history of innovative products and solutions including the ARPANET (forerunner of the Internet). Current offerings include the Boomerang acoustic-based shooter detection system currently deployed with U.S. forces, and a broad range of technology development programs, many considered mission-critical by defense and intelligence customers. Following the acquisition, BBN Technologies will become part of Raytheon Network Centric Systems (NCS).