Raytheon is developing a next-generation over-the-horizon radar for cruise missile detection.
The radar’s increased sensitivity will provide it with improved detection, allowing it to predict a missile’s trajectory for better interception, the company said.
Over-the-Horizon Radar
Over-the-horizon radar can detect objects thousands of miles away, farther than conventional radar.
“They operate in the high-frequency band of 5 MHz to 35 MHz, using powerful radio signals transmitted by a large antenna,” Raytheon explained.
The radar can see over the earth’s curvature by bouncing “signals off the ionosphere, then the target, which reflects the energy back to the ionosphere and ultimately to the radar’s receiver.”
Leverages US Navy Radar Technology
The ground-based radar leverages the technology and design that went into Raytheon’s Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar.
The US Navy radar ranges from 500 to 1,600 nautical miles (925 to 3,000 kilometers/575 to 1,864 miles).
“The next-generation over-the-horizon radar represents a quantum leap forward in our ability to not only detect and track aircraft and surface vessels, but also detect and defend the homeland against cruise missiles and other weapons,” said the president of Air Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense Paul Ferraro.
“With its unprecedented sensitivity, this new radar technology will be a game changer, providing our military with an unparalleled advantage in cruise missile defense.”
