Category Archives: Radars

Radars

Terracotta sensor

Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully flight demonstrated its new Terracotta sensor – a fully-digital Open Mission Systems (OMS)-compliant wideband Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA).

Terracotta sensor
Terracotta’s nearly 200 wideband digital channels can be molded cooperatively or segmented for unique purposes

The flight test was a follow-on to successful ground and flight demonstrations of Terracotta conducted last fall. This most recent flight verified Terracotta’s ability to simultaneously perform active and passive radio frequency capabilities. Terracotta’s nearly 200 wideband digital channels can be molded cooperatively or segmented for unique purposes, including electronic warfare, airborne early warning radar, active and passive sensing, and communications.

«As a fully-digital multifunction sensor with a wide operating bandwidth, Terracotta can seamlessly provide adaptive spectrum maneuverability», said Paul Kalafos, vice president, surveillance and electromagnetic maneuver warfare. «The sensor’s architecture is easily scaled and configured for many applications and systems across all domains. It represents a key enabling technology for joint all domain operations».

Unlike traditional sensors, multifunction apertures consolidate multiple capabilities into a single sensor, decreasing both the number of apertures needed and the size, weight, and power requirements for the advanced capabilities. Sophisticated multifunction apertures like Terracotta can deploy several functions simultaneously.

OMS compliance offers an interface solution based on open architecture design allowing customers to rapidly add new or improved capabilities, regardless of supplier, at a reduced cost. Northrop Grumman plans to integrate a combination of OMS/Open Communication Systems sensors and software-defined radios across multiple platforms, networks and nodes to address driving mission needs and ensure multi-domain interoperability. To learn more about Northrop Grumman’s role in advancing the DOD’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) vision, visit the company’s website.

Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.

Navy, Radars

First SPY-6 Radar

Raytheon Missiles & Defense completed comprehensive near-field range testing on the first AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar array, signaling its readiness to be wrapped, packed and shipped to the U.S. Navy’s future USS Jack H. Lucas, DDG-125. The 14’ by 14’ modular array will deliver unprecedented integrated air and missile defense and air defense capabilities to Flight III guided missile destroyers and seven types of U.S. Navy ships.

An AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar array is shown during testing in Raytheon Missiles & Defense’s Andover, MA-based Radar Development Facility. SPY-6 will deliver significantly enhanced integrated air and missile defense capability to the surface fleet by simultaneously addressing ballistic and cruise missiles, surface ships, fighter jets and other advanced threats

«The goal of near-field range testing is to increase integration speed, drive out risk and ensure SPY-6 is primed for installation», said Scott Spence, senior director of Naval Radar Systems. «When SPY-6 radar arrays leave our radar development facility, they are ready to defend the surface fleet».

Before leaving the automated, 30,000 square-foot/2,787 square-meter radar development facility, all SPY-6 arrays undergo extensive testing that includes:

  • Operational health evaluation of more than 5,000 transmit and receive radiating elements;
  • Alignment and calibration of nearly 150 subarray channels and 5,000 radar elements;
  • Collection and validation of over 42,000 «golden database» parameters that allows automatic recalibration of the array during at-sea maintenance;
  • Collection, analysis and verification of over 300 transmit and receive array beam patterns.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense has invested more than $500 million in infrastructure and capacity enhancements, including advanced automation technology, for SPY-6 since the program’s inception. Additional construction on expanded production areas dedicated to transmit/receive integrated microwave modules and radio frequency heads – key radar components – will be completed this year.

 

SPY-6(V)1

Designed for the DDG 51 Flight III destroyers, SPY-6(V)1 features:

  • 4 array faces – each with 37 RMAs (Radar Modular Assemblies) – providing continuous, 360-degree situational awareness;
  • Significantly enhanced range and sensitivity compared to the radar it replaces.

SPY-6(V)1 simultaneously defends against:

  • Ballistic missiles;
  • Cruise missiles;
  • Anti-surface and anti-air threats;
  • Jamming/clutter and electronic warfare.

 

SPY-6(V)2

Designed for amphibious assault ships and Nimitz-class carriers, SPY-6(V)2 – also known as the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (rotator variant) – features:

  • 1 rotating array face – with 9 RMAs – providing continuous, 360-degree situational awareness;
  • Air traffic control and ship self-defense capabilities.

SPY-6(V)2 simultaneously defends against:

  • Cruise missiles;
  • Anti-surface and anti-ship threats;
  • Jamming/clutter and electronic warfare.

 

SPY-6(V)3

Designed for Ford-class aircraft carriers and FFG(X) guided missile frigates, SPY-6(V)3 – also known as the Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (fixed variant) – features:

  • 3 fixed-face array faces – each with 9 RMAs – providing continuous, 360-degree situational awareness;
  • Air traffic control and ship self-defense capabilities.

SPY-6(V)3 simultaneously defends against:

  • Cruise missiles;
  • Anti-surface and anti-ship threats;
  • Jamming/clutter and electronic warfare.

 

SPY-6(V)4

Designed for DDG-51 Flight IIA destroyers, SPY-6(V)4 features:

  • 4 array faces – each with 24 RMAs – providing continuous, 360-degree situational awareness;
  • Significantly enhanced range and sensitivity compared to the radar it replaces.

SPY-6(V)4 simultaneously defends against:

  • Ballistic missiles;
  • Cruise missiles;
  • Anti-surface and anti-air threats;
  • Jamming/clutter and electronic warfare.
Missile Defense, Radars

Sentinel A4 Radar

Just four months after the initial contract award, the U.S. Army’s Sentinel A4 radar program already achieved several key milestones. In January, the U.S Army approved the program’s Systems Requirement Review (SRR), Systems Functional Review (SFR), and the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for one of the subsystems.

Sentinel A4 Array Subsystem (Photo Courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

«Traditionally, the SRR and PDR take place several months apart, but thanks to Lockheed Martin’s preparation, investment and our technically mature radar solution, we are able to support the Army’s need to field the system more rapidly», said Mark Mekker, director, Lockheed Martin Army radar programs. «We have achieved every milestone while working on a very aggressive timeline in order to deliver the radar on schedule».

Lockheed Martin’s open scalable radar architecture is the cornerstone of the radar system’s design and will allow for future upgrades that not only extend the life of the radar, but address threats to our warfighters that will evolve over the next 40 years.

The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $281-million contract to develop the Sentinel A4 system in September 2019. The new air and missile defense radar will provide improved capability against cruise missiles, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), rotary wing and fixed wing, and rocket, artillery, and mortar threats.

The radar will also provide enhanced surveillance, detection, and classification capabilities against current and emerging aerial threats in order to protect U.S. Army maneuver formations and high-value static assets to include: command and control nodes, tactical assembly areas and geo-political centers.

 

Proven Radar Experience

With broad and deep experience developing and delivering ground-based radar solutions to our customers, our high-performing, high-reliability, Solid State Radar (SSR) systems specialize in counter target acquisition, early warning, situational awareness, and integrated air and missile defense. Our radars are designed with the highest degree of commonality and fully integrated SSR systems. They can operate in all environments, are available in highly mobile configurations, and are deployed worldwide. It’s why Lockheed Martin’s ground-based radars are the choice of more than 45 nations on six continents.

Ground Forces, Radars

Next-generation radar

Raytheon Company completed the first round of testing of the first partially populated radar antenna array for the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, or LTAMDS. The milestone comes less than five months after the U.S. Army selected Raytheon to build LTAMDS, a next-generation radar that will defeat advanced threats like hypersonic weapons.

Raytheon completes first round of testing for new Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense radar

«Concluding these initial tests brings Raytheon one step closer to putting LTAMDS into the hands of service members», said Tom Laliberty, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business. «Raytheon and our supplier partners continue to make the right investments in people, technology and manufacturing capability to ensure we meet the U.S. Army’s Urgent Materiel Release».

The testing consisted of calibrating LTAMDS primary antenna array in an indoor, climate controlled test range, and evaluating its performance against simulated targets. With testing complete, the array is being mounted on a precision-machined enclosure for integration and further evaluation. It will then commence testing at an outdoor range against real-world targets.

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 enable operators to simultaneously detect and engage multiple threats from any direction, ensuring there are no blind spots on the battlefield. 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 will also be able to preserve previous Patriot investments.

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

  • Crane Aerospace & Electronics;
  • Cummings Aerospace;
  • IERUS Technologies;
  • Kord Technologies;
  • Mercury Systems;
  • nLogic
Ground Forces, Missile Defense, Radars

Next-generation radar

Raytheon Company finished building the first radar antenna array for the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). Raytheon completed the work less than 120 days after the U.S. Army selected Raytheon to build LTAMDS, a next-generation radar that will defeat advanced threats like hypersonic weapons.

Raytheon’s LTAMDS design is a simultaneous 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar powered by the company’s Gallium Nitride (GaN) circuits, which strengthen the radar signal and enhance its sensitivity

«Raytheon’s employees and partners are focused on delivering the first LTAMDS by the Army’s Urgent Material Release date because we know how important expanded battlespace coverage and other capabilities are to the men and women in uniform», said Tom Laliberty, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business. «Because we invested in cutting-edge radar technology and advanced manufacturing capability, we will meet the customer’s critical milestones and get LTAMDS in the field rapidly».

The newly built primary array, similar in size to the Patriot radar array, will provide more than twice its performance.  Following extensive testing, the radar array will be mounted on a precision-machined enclosure for integration and further evaluation. The enclosure utilizes advanced design and manufacturing techniques for accelerated manufacture to support the U.S. Army’s Urgent Materiel Release program.

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

  • Crane Aerospace & Electronics;
  • Cummings Aerospace;
  • IERUS Technologies;
  • Kord Technologies;
  • Mercury Systems;
  • nLogic.
Radars

Advanced Electronics

BAE Systems was awarded a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop the next generation of mixed-signal electronics that could enable new Department of Defense (DoD) applications including high capacity, robust communications, radars, and precision sensors, and lead to solutions that enhance situational awareness and survivability for the warfighter.

DARPA selects BAE Systems to build powerful next-generation advanced electronics

Recognizing that the DoD has performance demands that far exceed the capabilities of the commercial world in terms of speed, fidelity, capacity, and precision, DARPA created the Technologies for Mixed mode Ultra Scaled Integrated Circuits (T-MUSIC) program to enable disruptive Radio Frequency (RF) mixed-mode technologies by developing high performance RF analog electronics integrated with advanced digital electronics on the same wafer.

The next-generation capabilities that could be made possible with this program include a combination of wide spectral coverage, high resolution, large dynamic range, and high information processing bandwidth. These capabilities, which can cut through the electronic signal clutter, provide leap-forward performance that is mission critical as services rely on electronic sensors in highly congested environments. The new developments could be integrated into electronic warfare, communications, precision munitions, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms.

«T-MUSIC will incorporate analog and digital signals on a single chip for high-performance data converters and digital processing and intelligence», said Chris Rappa, product line director for Radio Frequency, Electronic Warfare, and Advanced Electronics at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs. «The advanced electronics we are developing under the T-MUSIC program could create the foundation for greatly enhanced Department of Defense capabilities in advanced RF sensors and high capacity communications».

As part of the $8 million contract, BAE Systems FAST Labs research and development team – working closely with program foundries – will design and develop wafer-scale technology on a silicon foundry platform that can enable U.S.-based production of next-generation DoD electronics.

The T-MUSIC contract adds to BAE Systems’ advanced electronics portfolio and is based on many years of investment on various programs with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), U.S. Army, and DARPA, including DARPA’s CONverged Collaborative Elements for RF Task Operations (CONCERTO) and DARPA’s Radio Frequency Field Programmable Gate Arrays (RF-FPGA) programs. Work for the contract will be completed at the company’s facilities in Merrimack, New Hampshire; Lexington, Massachusetts; and Manassas, Virginia.

Radars

Solid State Radar

The world’s latest generation solid-state radar technology, formerly known as Lockheed Martin’s Solid State Radar (LM SSR), has been designated as AN/SPY-7(V)1 by the United States government. The designation of AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a direct reflection of the maturity and capability of Lockheed Martin’s solid-state radar technology.

Lockheed Martin’s Solid State Radar has been designated as AN/SPY-7(V)1 by the United States government. SPY-7 and Aegis Ashore will defend against ballistic missile threats and provide continuous protection of Japan

The Japanese Ministry of Defense selected AN/SPY-7(V)1 for two planned Aegis Ashore installations in 2018. Additionally, variants of AN/SPY-7(V)1 will be used by the Royal Canadian Navy for the Canadian Surface Combatant program and the Spanish Navy for the upcoming F-110 frigate program.

«Lockheed Martin’s solid state solution meets the mission now and is flexible to adapt to the evolving threats of the future», said Paul Lemmo, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin. «This new designation solidifies our ability to provide the most technically advanced capabilities our warfighters require».

AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a modular and scalable solid state radar, allowing for continuous surveillance and protection. It will be fully integrated with the Aegis Combat System, providing advanced technology for future ship classes.

With 50 years of constant evolution and innovation, Lockheed Martin has a trusted history of producing, integrating and delivering radars and combat systems. Lockheed Martin and the Aegis Combat System continue to keep pace with evolving integrated air and missile threats, introducing new capabilities to create the latest generation of advanced solid state technologies, integrated with the Aegis system, to provide world-class defense and ensure future safety and security.

Radars

LTAMDS radar

Raytheon Company has been selected to provide the U.S. Army with their next generation, 360-degree capable radar – the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). Raytheon will receive more than $384 million to deliver six production representative units of the advanced LTAMDS radar under an Other Transactional Authority U.S. Army agreement. LTAMDS is a new radar that will ultimately replace the current U.S. Army’s Patriot radars. It will operate on the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) network.

The U.S. Army’s new LTAMDS radar design, unveiled in a Raytheon mock-up

«Our clean-sheet approach to LTAMDS reinforces Raytheon’s position as the world’s premier air and missile defense radar capability provider», said Ralph Acaba, President of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. «Patriot is the world’s leading, combat-proven air and missile defense system, and 17 nations have procured 240 radars from Raytheon. With the U.S. Army’s approval, these Patriot partners will have the opportunity to add Active Electronic Scanned Array, 360-degree capability to their inventory, extending the life of their systems for many decades».

Raytheon’s winning LTAMDS solution is a 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar powered by Raytheon-manufactured Gallium Nitride (GaN), a substance that strengthens the radar signal and enhances its sensitivity. Over the past two decades, Raytheon has invested significantly in AESA GaN technology and advanced manufacturing capability, positioning the company as the global leader in advanced GaN technology and product development.

«For decades, we have invested in radar technology to address our customer’s most pressing needs. As a result, we’ve developed the ability and capacity to provide the Army an advanced capability on an accelerated timeline», said Tom Laliberty, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. «Our in-house advanced manufacturing capability and strong supplier network will enable us to meet the Army’s urgent material release requirement».

Raytheon assembled a team of suppliers who played a strategic role in developing Raytheon’s LTAMDS solution. They are:

  • Crane Aerospace & Electronics;
  • Cummings Aerospace;
  • IERUS Technologies;
  • Kord Technologies;
  • Mercury Systems;
  • nLogic.
Radars

Missile defense radar

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $281 million contract by the United States Army to develop the Sentinel A4 radar system.

U.S. Army awards Lockheed Martin contract to develop Sentinel A4 radar

Sentinel A4 is a high-performance modification of the Sentinel A3 (AN/MPQ-64A3) air and missile defense radar that will provide updates to improve the existing Sentinel capability against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, rotary wing and fixed wing threats.

The new Sentinel A4 radar will provide improved surveillance, detection, and classification capabilities against current and emerging aerial threats in order to protect Army maneuver formations and high value static assets to include: command and control nodes, tactical assembly areas and geo-political centers. This needed capability will help protect our warfighters for the next 40 years.

«By leveraging our open scalable radar architecture and production efforts, we believe we provide the lowest risk and best value solution for the U.S. Army that will help protect our warfighters for years to come», said Doctor Rob Smith, vice president and general manager for Lockheed Martin’s Radar and Sensor Systems. «We have fielded numerous tactical Gallium Nitride (GaN) based radars beginning with the delivery of the TPS-77 Multi Role Radar to Latvia in 2018 and we are under contract with the Army to insert GaN into the Q-53 system».

Radars

Multi-Band,
Multi-Mission

Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. were awarded a $7.2 million prototype agreement by the Defense Innovation Unit to develop a new Multi-Band, Multi-Mission (MBMM) prototype phased array as part of a broader initiative to modernize the existing Air Force Satellite Control Network and bring new technology faster to warfighters. MBMM enables multiple satellites to simultaneously connect with a single array antenna over multiple frequencies, a significant performance improvement compared to traditional single contact parabolic dishes.

Lockheed Martin, Ball and Kratos team on Advanced Phased Array for Air Force

The Lockheed Martin team is building prototype transmit and receive Electronically Steerable Arrays (ESA). Each array uses Ball’s advanced phased array technologies and supports L- and S-band frequencies initially. Signal processing is accomplished with Kratos’ digital Intermediate Frequency (IF) technology and cloud-enabled quantumRadio.

«MBMM is a smarter way to quickly and affordably scale satellite transmission while lowering long-term maintenance costs for the Air Force», said Maria Demaree, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Mission Solutions. «Today, when a parabolic antenna goes down, it can take days to repair; with MBMM, it will take hours and won’t take the entire site offline – that’s a tremendous advantage».

Extensive industry research comparing the costs of parabolic antennas to phased arrays over time show that while parabolic antennas have a lower upfront cost, they become much more expensive to maintain. Phased arrays avoid the mechanical maintenance and keyhole effects of parabolic antennas while providing graceful degradation and electronic agility in matching aperture performance to constellation demands.

«One electronically steered antenna can replace multiple dishes, enabling better performance, connectivity and affordability», said Rob Freedman, vice president and general manager, Tactical Solutions, Ball Aerospace.

«Software modems deployed in virtual machines gives MBMM an advantage because it is easy to scale signal processing on a much faster timeline than previously», said Frank Backes, senior vice president of Kratos Federal Space.

Future operational MBMM systems will offer new cyber resilience while reducing long-term sustainment costs for the Air Force. MBMM may eventually support multiple orbits from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) and can perform multiple missions at the same time, including Command & Control (C2), launch pad and ascent operations, radar and mission data transmission. The Lockheed Martin/Ball team is one of several teams building prototypes for the government.