17-02-2025
Raytheon's GhostEye perfectly tracks high-speed cruise missile, completes live-fire test
A Waltham-based company has successfully conducted the live-fire test of Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS).
The system detected and tracked a high-speed cruise missile and guided a Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) to defend against the surrogate threat, according to Raytheon.
The milestone is the latest in a rigorous U.S. Army test program, advancing towards fielding the 360-degree, full-sector radar, according to the company.
Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, this most recent test represents a significant milestone for both Raytheon and the Army, demonstrating the combat-proven PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor with the transformational LTAMDS radar, a GhostEye family of radars."LTAMDS will further enhance Patriot's unmatched air defense capabilities, helping the Army and customers around the globe defend against increasingly complex threats."
LTAMDS has three antenna arrays – a primary array on the front, and two secondary arrays on the back. They work together, detecting and engaging multiple threats from any direction at the same time.
The company revealed that this was the latest in a series of LTAMDS live-fire events highlighting the capabilities of the advanced 360-degree radar and its integration with the Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense LTAMDS program is executing to an aggressive schedule, with multiple radars being utilized for simultaneous testing and integration at various Raytheon and USG test locations, according to the company.
Live fire ensures combat-proven effector's performance with LTAMDS, as per Raytheon.
Raytheon revealed that tests have increased in complexity to stress the radar and prove its capabilities against real and representative threat sets. Throughout, LTAMDS has met complex objectives and showcased the performance of the radar. The program is expected to achieve Milestone C, the official transition from development to production, in second quarter of FY2025.
International interest in LTAMDS is strong, with more than a dozen countries requesting information and receiving briefings, according to the company.
In August 2024, Raytheon was awarded a U.S. Army contract valued at more than $2 billion to deliver radars for the U.S. and Poland. With this Foreign Military Sale, Poland is the first international customer to add LTAMDS to their air and missile defense architecture, according to a press release.
In January, the company was also awarded a $529 million contract to supply the Netherlands with a Patriot air and missile defense system fire unit and related equipment. This contract supports the replenishment of a Patriot fire unit donated to Ukraine.
The direct commercial sales contract includes a single fire unit consisting of a radar, launchers, command and control stations, and other support equipment.
Raytheon, which is a leading provider of defense solutions to help the U.S. government and its allies, has developed new technologies and enhanced existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, smart weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics and missile defense across land, air, sea and space.
