First Radar Antenna for US Army’s LTAMDS to defeat Hypersonic Threats Built

Raytheon has announced that it has finished building the first radar antenna array for the US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor, a next-generation radar that will defeat advanced threats like hypersonic weapons.

The newly built primary array, similar in size to the Patriot radar array, will provide more than twice its performance, the company said in a statement Friday.

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 US Army's Urgent Materiel Release program.

The LTAMDS Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar is powered by Gallium Nitride (GaN), a substance that strengthens the radar signal and enhances its sensitivity. The company designed the radar 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.

Raytheon is working closely with 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, and nLogic.