New US Navy’s radar sensing software tested

Arizona-based tech company Raytheon Missiles & Defense and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) have completed demonstrations of the network cooperative radar program, an advanced radar system solution that supports the US Navy.

During the demonstration, two surface-based radar emulators detected targets using distributed sensing capabilities. The demonstration proved that tactical radars, like SPY-6, will benefit from advanced distributed radar concepts developed in the NCR program.

“SPY-6 will provide an unprecedented level of protection to naval forces, and software updates like this demonstrate that it’s only getting better,” said Rear Adm. Seiko Okano, program executive officer for the US Navy’s Integrated Warfare Systems. “Programs like NCR ensure SPY-6 will be the backbone of our distributed sensing capabilities in the future.”

Cooperative radars collaborate using distributed sensing capabilities to create a fuller picture of objects in a given coverage area. NCR-enabled sensors work together to identify and track threats, communicating real-time information to improve system performance and mission success.

“NCR furthers the development of our next-generation software-defined apertures,” said Colin Whelan, vice president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. “The continued development of capabilities demonstrated by NCR will ensure SPY-6 remains the most advanced naval radar in the world.”

In March this year, the company delivered the first next-generation Tomahawk Block V cruise missile to the US Navy.

Tomahawk is a GPS-guided weapon that launches from ships and submarines, and can strike targets precisely from 1,000 miles away, even in heavily defended airspace. The US Navy recertified and modernized the missile, extending its service life by 15 years, resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series.