US Navy Funds Raytheon Radar Improvements to Strengthen Threat Detection — Raytheon has received a contract from the US Navy’s Office of Naval Research to enhance detection and processing capabilities across the SPY-6 shipborne radar family and future naval radar platforms. The work will involve developing and validating advanced signal- and data-processing algorithms, alongside software upgrades designed to improve detection range, sensitivity, and overall radar performance. Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will conduct the program at facilities in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Andover, Massachusetts, with work continuing through 2031. The effort builds on the company’s earlier research into software-defined apertures and technology developed through ONR initiatives such as ASPIRE and STORM. The SPY-6 family includes four radar variants tailored to different US Navy vessels, offering 360-degree surveillance and the ability to detect and track aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, surface targets, and electronic warfare threats. The SPY-6(V)1, intended for Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, features four arrays with 37 Radar Module Assemblies each, while the SPY-6(V)4, designed for Flight IIA destroyers, uses four arrays containing 24 assemblies apiece. The SPY-6(V)2 features a rotating array for amphibious ships and is also planned for Nimitz-class carriers, whereas the SPY-6(V)3 uses three fixed arrays for Ford-class aircraft carriers. With installation expected across more than 50 vessels during the coming decade, the radar family will contribute to the US Navy’s evolving integrated air and missile defence capabilities.
