# DARPA Awards Raytheon PICASSO Phase 1

DARPA awarded Raytheon, an RTX business, a Phase 1 contract on November 3, 2026, under the PICASSO program to develop and demonstrate all-optical processing technology. The work will develop circuit-level strategies for photonic integrated circuits that preserve optical signal integrity without converting signals to electrical form for processing. Phase 1 is the first of two planned 18-month phases, with DARPA planning a down-select before Phase 2. The contract value and number were not disclosed; Synopsys is supporting development with design and simulation tools.

- **Why this matters:** The award signals a federal R&D opportunity in photonics and advanced circuit design aimed at faster signal processing in contested environments.
- Companies with relevant photonic integrated circuit, optical processing, or design and simulation capabilities can assess their fit for potential follow-on work as DARPA moves toward a Phase 2 down-select.
- Procurement teams should note that the award details disclosed so far do not include a contract value, contract number, or specific Phase 2 solicitation information.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** November 04, 2026

### Government Entities
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

### Vendors
- Raytheon (Phase 1 contract awardee)
- Synopsys (Provides design and simulation tools supporting development)

### Key Quotes
> By moving critical processing entirely into the optical domain, we can enable significantly faster response times for a broad range of applications.
> — Colin Whelan, President of Advanced Technology at Raytheon

### Sources
- [Raytheon Lands DARPA PICASSO Phase 1 Photonics Contract](https://www.executivebiz.com/articles/raytheon-darpa-picasso-photonics) - ExecutiveBiz
- [RTX’s Raytheon secures PICASSO contract - Intelligence Community News](https://intelligencecommunitynews.com/rtxs-raytheon-secures-picasso-contract/) - Intelligence Community News