Seven Radars for Saudi Arabia
Raytheon Missiles & Defense has received a $2.3 billion (€2.05 billion) order from the US Missile Defense Agency for seven AN/TPY-2 radars as part of a Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia, the company announced on 26 June.
“These highly capable X-band radars are the sharpest eyes in the global missile defense system,” commented Bryan Rosselli, VP of Strategic Missile Defense at the company. “The addition of GaN technology delivers capability for threats to be detected, tracked and discriminated with improved radar reliability.”
The gallium nitride (GaN)-based mobile AN/TPY-2 missile defense radar uses X-band to clearly see ballistic missile threats. It operates in two modes: forward-based, which detects ballistic missiles and identifies any lethal objects as they rise after launch; and terminal, as part of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which guides interceptors toward a descending missile’s warhead.
Of the 14 AN/TPY-2 radars produced, seven are fielded as a part of US-operated THAAD systems, five operate in forward-based mode for the US, and two are part of foreign military sales.
