Missile Defense Agency selects Raytheon for AN/TPY-2 GaN upgrade
NewsApril 06, 2017
TEWKSBURY, Mass. U.S. Missile Defense Agency officials tasked Raytheon to continue the development of hardware and software that will add gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor technology to the AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar. The contract with the modification is worth an estimate $10 million.
GaN increases the radar's range, search capabilities, and enables the system to better discriminate between threats and non-threats, officials say. The AN/TPY-2 radar operates in two modes, in forward-based mode and terminal mode.
Forward-based mode enables the radar to position itself near hostile territory, and detects, tracks and discriminates ballistic missiles shortly after they are launched. In terminal mode, the radar detects, acquires, tracks and discriminates ballistic missiles as they descend to their target. The terminal mode AN/TPY-2 is the fire control radar for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ballistic missile defense system, by guiding the THAAD missile to intercept a threat.
Read more on radars:
U.S. Navy conducts first AN/SPY-6(V) AMDR Ballistic Missile test
U.S. Air Force signs radar contract for more accurate air drops
GaN use in radar/EW applications gets hot
