Army sense and warn radar from Raytheon cuts down on cots and false alarms
NewsMarch 23, 2012
MCKINNEY. U.S. Army officials have tasked Raytheon engineers to create a prototype design of the Ku Band Multi-Function RF System (MFRFS) Sense and Warn (S&W) radar.
Raytheon officials will be procuring long-lead material and subsystems for Ku Band MFRFS prototypes to be built this year. The work supports Program Directorate C-RAM under PEO Missiles and Space in Huntsville, Ala.
The work is part of a $45.5 million Army contract, which is a follow-on to work Raytheon is doing to enhance the performance of the Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) S&W systems that are fielded at forward operating bases in different theaters of operations.
The development of the Ku Band MFRFS system is based heavily Raytheon technology originally developed under the Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. Raytheon engineers developed, tested, and fielded a Low Quadrant Elevation (QE) MFRFS C-RAM S&W system in only 14 months, using residual assets from FCS.
Another 18 Low QE systems, for C-RAM applications, will be fielded during the first half of this year using FCS assets. The Ku Band MFRFS and the Low QE MFRFS systems have improved S&W times, which virtually eliminate false alarms and enhance coverage of fielded C-RAM systems.
