U.S. Gets One More Ballistic Missile Defense Radar

The U.S. will soon have another system to defend against ballistic missiles. Raytheon Company delivered its ninth AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar to the Missile Defense Agency, six months ahead of schedule.

AN/TPY-2 is an integral element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. It is a mobile X-band radar that helps protect civilians and infrastructure in the U.S., deployed warfighters, and allied nations and security partners, from the growing ballistic missile threat. U.S. public intelligence estimates indicate there are more than 6,300 ballistic missiles not controlled by the U.S., NATO, China or Russia, with that number expected to reach almost 8,000 by 2020.

“Delivering this ninth radar is crucial because our nation’s enemies continue to improve and proliferate their ballistic missile technology and tactics,” said Raytheon’s Dave Gulla, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems’ Global Integrated Sensors business area. “The AN/TPY-2 consistently demonstrates its ability to pace the evolving threat, and test after test has proven it effectively defends against every category of ballistic missile.”

The radar will be integrated into the U.S. Army’s fourth Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense battery, serving as the “eyes and ears” of the system by searching, detecting, tracking and discriminating threats, and guiding the intercepting missile. Raytheon serves as one of MDA’s prime contractors for THAAD.

Raytheon is currently under contract to provide three additional AN/TPY-2 radars for the MDA, and is in the process of building two radars for a U.S. ally in the Arabian Gulf.

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Press Release, March 20, 2014; Image: Raytheon