Tag Archives: LTAMDS

Missile Defense, Radars

WISŁA air and missile defense

The Polish Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, approved a Letter of Acceptance with the U.S. Army to expand its WISŁA air and missile defense capabilities with the introduction of 12 Lower-Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors, or LTAMDS, and the addition of 48 Patriot launchers. The agreement sets the Foreign Military Sale into motion and makes Poland the first international customer to add the advanced 360-degree LTAMDS radar being built by Raytheon, an RTX business, to their air and missile defense architecture.

LTAMDS
LTAMDS is the next generation air and missile defense radar, providing dramatically more performance against the range of threats, from manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonics

The acquisition supports the Polish Government’s WISŁA Phase 2 program, building on the nearly completed first phase which culminated with the delivery and testing of four Patriot fire units. Raytheon completed its delivery of the last two fire units to Poland earlier this year and the systems will complete System Integration and Check-Out, or SICO, in October.

«Poland’s expansion of its WISŁA program will fortify the country’s security and defense against a range of air and missile threats», said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. «With the introduction of LTAMDS, Poland will become the first country after the U.S. to complement the combat-proven Patriot with LTAMDS which provides extended range and full, 360-degree coverage to detect and defend against complex, highly coordinated, multi-threat attack scenarios».

Raytheon’s successful deliveries for WISŁA Phase 1 were due in large part to the collaborative partnerships with Polish industry. Nine Polish suppliers contributed various system elements and components to the Patriot system and are now part of Raytheon’s Global Supply Chain. Participation will continue and expand with an offset program for Phase 2, including opportunities to support LTAMDS. Five Polish industry partners, all members of the PGZ group, will receive technology, equipment, and training to enable them to produce and maintain components of LTAMDS. It is envisioned they will become part of the LTAMDS global supply chain.

Patriot is the only combat-proven ground-based air defense capability available in the world today to defeat advanced long-range cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles, and a full spectrum of air-breathing threats. It is the backbone of air defense for 19 countries.

LTAMDS is the next generation air and missile defense radar for the U.S. Army. A 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, powered by Raytheon-manufactured Gallium Nitride, LTAMDS provides dramatically more performance against the range of threats, from manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and hypersonics. Raytheon is advancing the development of LTAMDS for the U.S. Army, with all six radars under contract having completed production and are undergoing simultaneous testing at various government and Raytheon test sites, conducting integration and test activities in parallel.

Ground Forces, Missile Defense, Radars

Missile Defense Sensor

The first Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), built by Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, arrived at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range on April 11th. The radar is the newest air and missile defense sensor for the U.S. Army, providing significantly more capacity and capability against the wide range of advancing threats facing air defenders around the world.

LTAMDS
Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) arrives at White Sands Missile Range

This is the first of six radars planned for delivery to the Army in 2022 and marks the beginning of a series of extensive tests to prove LTAMDS performance and functionality in an operational environment.

«Together with the Army, we set out to build a radar that could detect and defend against complex and evolving threats while reducing the workload on operators – and we’ve done it with LTAMDS», said Tom Laliberty, president of RMD’s Land Warfare & Air Defense business unit. «LTAMDS provides dramatically more performance against the range of threats, from manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Air defense forces around the world are taking notice of LTAMDS, with over a dozen countries showing formal interest in acquiring the radar».

LTAMDS is a 360-degree, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar powered by RMD-manufactured Gallium Nitride, a substance that strengthens the radar’s signal, enhances its sensitivity, and increases its reliability. LTAMDS is designed to operate as a sensor in the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System.

LTAMDS, designed specifically for the U.S. Army’s lower tier mission, is the first sensor in a family of radars Raytheon is calling GhostEye. These sensors can detect otherwise unseen threats at greater distances, higher velocities, and from any direction. Leveraging the advancements of GaN technology and commonality with LTAMDS, Raytheon has separately developed GhostEye MR, a medium-range battlefield radar.

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

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.
Ground Forces

GaN-based design

Northrop Grumman Corporation demonstrated its in-production, innovative solution for the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) program during an open «Sense Off» competition at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico from May 16 – June 1.

Northrop Grumman’s 360-degree coverage, GaN-based LTAMDs capability was successfully demonstrated to the U.S. Army during a two-week Sense Off at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico

«Our mature, gallium nitride (GaN)-based design demonstrated an advanced system with our current capabilities aligned with the Army’s requirements», said Christine Harbison, vice president, land and avionics C4ISR division, Northrop Grumman. «Our solution supports the need for rapid deployment with an architecture that allows for significant margin of capability growth to protect our warfighters today and in the rapidly changing threat environment».

Northrop Grumman’s LTAMDS solution demonstrated a mission capable system with growth potential leveraging advanced, affordable, low-risk, in-production and fielded technologies from across the company’s Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) portfolio. The system provides a 360-degree full-sector mission capability. Designed from the outset to meet the warfighters’ current and future needs, Northrop Grumman’s LTAMDS solution aligns with the Army’s top requirements, including speed to field. An embedded logistics capability enables quicker and more affordable modernization and better sustainability over the life-cycle of the program.

Northrop Grumman’s LTAMDS solution builds upon the company’s decades of expertise in sea, land, air and space-based military radar technology and high-performance microelectronics. The company’s offering is the latest Northrop Grumman sensor product to incorporate and use GaN high power density radio frequency components for greater performance.

Having successfully completed the demonstration phase, the company will deliver its final LTAMDS proposal to the Army in the coming weeks for evaluation.

Ground Forces

Net centric radar

Northrop Grumman Corporation has received a contract from the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Program Office (LTPO) to perform risk reduction for radar technology and associated mission capabilities intended to replace the Army’s 50-year-old Patriot radars.

Northrop Grumman to perform risk reduction for radar technology under Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) contract
Northrop Grumman to perform risk reduction for radar technology under Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) contract

LTAMDS will be the Army’s first net centric radar to be added to the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense enterprise controlled by the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS), which Northrop Grumman also develops. IBCS is the advanced command and control system that integrates air and missile defense sensors and weapons, including Patriot, to generate a real-time comprehensive threat picture and enable any-sensor, best-shooter operations.

Northrop Grumman’s next-generation sensors will potentially benefit from decades-long experience in delivering rapidly deployable ground based radars, such as the high performance AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR active electronically scanned array production radar to the United States Marine Corps. G/ATOR capabilities include comprehensive, real-time, 360-degree multi-threat detection and tracking.

«We are excited about this award and the overall mission capabilities we can provide the Army», said Roshan Roeder, vice president, global ground based radars, Northrop Grumman. «We have more than forty years of experience in providing proven surveillance and threat engagement capabilities to more than 35 global customers».

Ground Forces

Next Generation Sensor

The Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the technology maturation of Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) prototypes.

Lockheed Martin’s Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar for Engagement and Surveillance (ARES) prototype will be matured with funding from the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium
Lockheed Martin’s Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar for Engagement and Surveillance (ARES) prototype will be matured with funding from the Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium

DOTC, commissioned by the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, is a DoD initiative intended to facilitate collaboration between the government, industry and academia for technology development and prototyping. The funding from DOTC is used for technology development efforts that will further define performance requirements, mature technology and reduce risk for the LTAMDS program.

«Receiving DOTC funding is indicative of the rapid capability need the LTAMDS will fill for the U.S. Army», said Mark Mekker, director of next generation radar systems at Lockheed Martin. «Lockheed Martin is ready to leverage our significant experience, Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology and sensor capabilities in the LTAMDS concept definition phase to accelerate much needed enhanced capability to the warfighter».

Lockheed Martin is using its AESA Radar for Engagement and Surveillance (ARES) prototype investment program to mature technology and capabilities necessary for the future LTAMDS mission. Combined DOTC funding and Lockheed Martin investment will continue to mature technology for the prototype, including AESA and dual-band technology. The prototype will include mature Gallium Nitride (GaN) transmitter technology and advanced signal processing techniques including Lockheed Martin’s proven 360-degree rotational capability.

«Technology is maturing at such a pace that continuing to incrementally upgrade the heritage Patriot MPQ-65 radar system is no longer the most efficient and cost-effective option», said Mekker. «A next generation LTAMDS radar will leverage recent advances in radar technology to provide a cost effective, scalable, long term solution that can address current threats and adapt to emerging and future threats».

Lockheed Martin has developed and produced ground based radar systems for more than 40 years, and our latest open-architecture prototype leverages building blocks from several other successful radar products, including the Q-53, Long Range Discrimination Radar and Space Fence. Lockheed Martin’s low-risk solution is based on decades of development, backed by demonstrable technology and will be the first sensor specifically designed to operate within the Army Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) framework.

Ground Forces

Next Generation Sensor

Lockheed Martin will unveil its next generation air and missile defense radar demonstrator at the annual Space & Missile Defense Symposium this week in Huntsville, Alabama. The Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar for Engagement and Surveillance (ARES) is a representative full-scale prototype of the technology to support a modern, 360-degree capable sensor that the U.S. Army will use to address current and emerging air and ballistic missile threats.

Lockheed Martin’s radar technology demonstrator is being developed to serve as the next generation sensor specifically designed to operate within the U.S. Army Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) framework (Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin’s radar technology demonstrator is being developed to serve as the next generation sensor specifically designed to operate within the U.S. Army Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) framework (Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin)

This fractional array is representative of Lockheed Martin’s potential Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) solution, built on a modular and scalable architecture to scale to the Army’s requirements, once finalized, to replace the aging Patriot MPQ-65 radar. The array on display in Huntsville will be used to mature technology and verify performance to ensure uniform 360-degree threat detection and system performance.

«Incremental upgrades to the existing Patriot radar no longer address current sustainment issues, current threat performance shortcomings, or provide growth for future and evolving threats», said Mark Mekker, director of next generation radar systems at Lockheed Martin. «Lockheed Martin is prepared to offer a next generation missile defense system that will leverage advances in radar technology to provide a modular, scalable architecture and reduce the total cost of ownership well over its 30-year lifecycle».

Lockheed Martin’s active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology incorporates Gallium Nitride (GaN) transmitter technology and advanced signal processing techniques including recently developed and proven 360-degree sensor/fire control algorithms based on advanced threat sets. These technologies and concepts have been fully integrated into both demonstration and production systems resulting in the industry’s first fielded ground based radars with GaN technology.

The AESA technology is also in use in the AN/TP/Q-53 radar system, which Lockheed Martin designed, developed and delivered to the Army on an urgent need timeline in under 36 months, and which continues to be scaled to address emerging threats.

«Our solution for the U.S. Army’s new air and missile defense sensor is not a new-start program. It’s a combination of technology maturation over several years and includes capability leveraged from our current development programs and battlefield-proven radars. We rely heavily on our modern radar systems such as the Q-53 and the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) to rapidly bring low-risk, proven technology to the warfighter», Mekker said. «We look forward to the opportunity to participate in this competition that will ultimately drive up performance and reduce costs for the U.S. Army».

As a proven world leader in systems integration and development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, Lockheed Martin delivers high-quality missile defense solutions that protect citizens, critical assets and deployed forces from current and future threats. The company’s experience spans radar and signal processing, missile design and production, hit-to-kill capabilities, infrared seekers, command and control/battle management, precision pointing and tracking optics, as well as threat-representative targets for missile defense tests.

Missile Defense Radar Technology

Ground Forces

A look into the future

Raytheon Company has given the U.S. Army a look into the future of missile defense technology, as the company provided its comprehensive vision for the next generation of air and missile defense radar. The information was supplied to the U.S. Army as part of its process to define the requirements for a future Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS).

Raytheon's re-engineered Patriot radar prototype uses two key technologies – active electronically scanned array, which changes the way the radar searches the sky; and gallium nitride circuitry, which uses energy efficiently to amplify the radar's high-power radio frequencies
Raytheon’s re-engineered Patriot radar prototype uses two key technologies – active electronically scanned array, which changes the way the radar searches the sky; and gallium nitride circuitry, which uses energy efficiently to amplify the radar’s high-power radio frequencies

«Raytheon’s solution for the LTAMDS is based on the more than $200 million that the company has invested in Gallium Nitride (GaN) powered Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology», said Ralph Acaba, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business. «Raytheon showed it can quickly and affordably design, build, test and field a GaN-based AESA radar capable of defeating all threats when we exhibited a potential LTAMDS solution at the winter AUSA tradeshow this past March».

Raytheon’s GaN-based AESA LTAMDS radar is designed to serve as a sensor on the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) network. It will be fully interoperable with NATO, and also retains backwards compatibility with both the current Patriot system and any future system upgrades fielded by any of the 13-nations that currently own Patriot.

«Others may draw on lesson learned from the terminated Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) air and missile defense project or repeatedly re-baselined naval radars; Raytheon’s LTAMDS solution builds on successful programs such as the U.S. Navy’s Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) and the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR)», said Doug Burgess, director of Integrated Air and Missile defense AESA programs. «Our response, and our AESA GaN radar rollout at AUSA show there doesn’t need to be a wait of a decade or longer to get the sensor of the future. It will be available much, much sooner».

 

About GaN

Raytheon has been leading the innovation and development of GaN for 17 years and has invested more than $200 million to get this latest technology into the hands of the military faster and at lower cost and risk. Raytheon has demonstrated the maturity of the technology in a number of ways, including exceeding the reliability requirement for insertion into the production of military systems.