In a significant stride towards bolstering its naval defense capabilities, the U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon, an RTX business, a substantial $646 million contract for the continued production of its groundbreaking AN/SPY-6(V) radar family. This latest agreement underscores the critical importance of these advanced systems in safeguarding the fleet against an evolving array of modern threats and represents a crucial expansion of the Navy’s future air and missile defense backbone.
The SPY-6(V) radar is widely hailed as the most advanced maritime radar in the U.S. naval inventory, designed to provide unparalleled situational awareness and detection capabilities. According to Raytheon, this technology allows the Navy “to see further than they’ve ever seen before,” significantly extending the time available for sailors to identify and respond to detected threats. This extended reach is vital in an era where adversaries are developing faster and more elusive weapons.
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What makes the SPY-6 truly revolutionary is its modular and scalable design, built upon individual Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs). Each RMA is a self-contained radar antenna, allowing the system to be configured for various ship classes, from destroyers to aircraft carriers and amphibious vessels. This flexibility ensures that a common, highly capable radar can be tailored to meet the specific needs of different platforms, streamlining logistics and maintenance across the fleet.
The capabilities of the SPY-6 radar are truly transformative for naval warfare. It provides full 360-degree coverage and is engineered to simultaneously defend against a spectrum of threats, including cruise missiles, advanced air and surface targets, ballistic missiles, and even the emerging challenge of hypersonic weapons. Its enhanced sensitivity and superior discrimination allow it to track smaller and faster objects at greater distances compared to older radar systems, providing a robust defense against saturation attacks. Furthermore, its integration with the powerful Aegis Combat System solidifies its role as a cornerstone of the Navy’s layered defense strategy.
This $646 million contract represents the fourth option exercised from a larger agreement initiated in March 2022, which holds a potential value of up to $3 billion over five years. With this new award, the U.S. Navy will acquire four additional SPY-6(V) radars, bringing the total number under contract to 42. Looking ahead, the Navy plans to deploy the SPY-6 family of radars on more than 60 ships over the next decade, profoundly impacting the defensive posture of its surface fleet. This includes modernizing existing Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyers with the SPY-6(V)4 variant, extending their service life, and enhancing their combat effectiveness.
Production of these cutting-edge radar systems will primarily take place at Raytheon’s advanced Radar Development Facility in Andover, Massachusetts, with work expected to continue through 2028. The continuous investment in the SPY-6 program reflects a strategic imperative to maintain the U.S. Navy’s technological edge, ensuring its forces are equipped to face the complex and rapidly evolving threats of the 21st-century maritime environment.