The US Army has chosen Raytheon’s new 360-degree Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar for its Patriot air defense systems.
“The LTAMDS is the new radar for the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense network. In October, the Army chose Raytheon to build LTAMDS,” Raytheon said in a statement Thursday.
The radar was designed as a solution for US Army’s LTAMDS competition, which involves replacing radar currently used by Patriot missile units. The service aims to field the new radar to the first Patriot battalion by the end of 2022. The contract is reportedly valued at $384 million.
The LTAMDS radar, with US government approval, could become available for international sales, Raytheon said.
“The US Army has awarded Raytheon a $384 million deal to build a half-dozen high-tech radars that can detect drone swarms, maneuvering cruise missiles, and fast-flying hypersonic weapons expected in the wars of the future,” Defense One reported.
Raytheon’s LTAMDS AESA radar is powered by Gallium Nitride (GaN), a substance that strengthens the radar signal and enhances its sensitivity. The GaN-based transmitters will not need to be recertified over the life of the missile. The tech has already been used to enhance the Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile – Tactical ballistic missile, or GEM-T. GEM-T is used against aircraft and tactical ballistic and cruise missiles.
The company’s offering was demonstrated in May 2019 in army sense-off event, where even Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman also demonstrated their solutions.
