Original Date: 09/14/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Technology Roadmaps are a key element of Raytheon Missile Systems Company’s (RMSC’s) strategic planning process. This tool identifies technologies that are critical for future customer and product line needs; assesses them in light of predicted industry technology trends; and helps management make decisions regarding IRAD and future business. Declining defense budgets adversely impact the amount of funding which contractors can dedicate to IRAD. This fact, coupled with the quickened pace of technological process and product change (primarily in the commercial world), dictate the need to effectively predict the future direction of technology and customer needs, if companies are to remain competitive and responsive.

The Technology Roadmap process involves a continual examination of the marketplace to forecast which core technologies will be required for next-generation products, and to determine how well RMSC is positioned to capitalize on them compared to the technology capabilities of its competitors. This tool also helps RMSC identify disruptive technologies, which inherently compete and may require hard business choices. For example, should the company pursue charged particle beam technology which would compete with the core missile focus in the anti- ballistic missile arena?

In simple terms, the Technology Roadmap process plots future technologies versus future customer and product line needs. The resulting matrix reveals the areas where the two roadmaps will likely intersect. The results of the Technology Roadmap analysis are then integrated into the make/buy decisions involving retention or development of core competencies as well as those that will be obtained through partnering, mergers or acquisitions.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.