RTX Raytheon continues early production of missile-defense radar to attack several threats simultaneously

Summary points:

• The U.S. Army has awarded RTX Corp. a $1.7 billion contract for the low-rate initial production of the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System (LTAMDS), marking a significant step in advanced missile defense.
• LTAMDS, also known as GhostEye, will replace the Patriot missile radar, providing 360-degree detection and tracking with twice the power and enhanced efficiency using Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology.
• LTAMDS can track, classify, and engage multiple threats from any direction, offering long-range detection and large-sector sensing to improve battlefield defense.

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – RTX Corp. is continuing low-rate initial production of an advanced missile-defense radar system to counter enemy tactical missiles, as part of the U.S. Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture.

Officials of the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone, Arsenal, Ala., announced a $1.7 billion order to the RTX Raytheon segment in Andover, Mass., in August for low-rate initial production of Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System (LTAMDS).

This system, also known as GhostEye, is the next generation 360-degree missile-defense radar that ultimately will replace the Army's current Patriot missile radars. The LTAMDS radar has gallium nitride (GaN) components. Low rate initial production (LRIP) describes early small-quantity production. This order brings the total value of the contract to $3.8 billion.

LTAMDS consists of a primary antenna array on the front of the radar, and two secondary arrays on the rear. The radar antennas work together to attack several threats simultaneously from any direction, ensuring there are no blind spots on the battlefield.

Exceeding Patriot capabilities

The LTAMDS primary array is roughly the same size as the Patriot radar array, but provides more than twice Patriot's performance. While it is designed for the U.S. Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense system, LTAMDS also will be able to preserve previous Patriot investments.

LTAMDS has three radar antenna arrays -- a primary large array on the front and two secondary arrays on the back -- that together provide 360-degree detection and tracking without repositioning the radar. The primary radar array has more than twice the power of the Patriot radar, and the secondary arrays provide overlapping coverage.

The radar uses GaN technology for high power and efficiency compared to previous Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) radars. It operates primarily in the C-band with additional S-band and X-band frequencies for target acquisition, discrimination, and fire control.

LTAMDS can detect, track, classify, and engage several threats simultaneously from any direction, and provides large-sector sensing and long detection ranges, which enables placement of fewer radars and launchers to defend large areas.

LTAMDS suppliers

Raytheon is working with hundreds of suppliers across 42 states, including a core team playing a strategic role in building the LTAMDS solution.

Orolia USA in Rochester, N.Y., for example, is providing the company's rugged SecureSync time and frequency system to supply positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capability for LTAMDS.

Crane Aerospace & Electronics in Lynnwood, Wash., is providing defense power systems for power control and conditioning for LTAMDS. Mercury Systems Inc. in Andover, Mass., is providing high-performance digital signal processing and RF solutions for LTAMDS.

On this order RTX Raytheon will do the work in Andover, Mass., and should be finished by December 2029. For more information contact RTX Raytheon online at www.rtx.com/raytheon/what-we-do/integrated-air-and-missile-defense/ltamds, or the Army Contracting Command-Redstone at https://acc.army.mil/contractingcenters/acc-rsa/.