The US Navy has awarded Raytheon Technologies a $619m contract for the production of AN/SPY-6(V) radars, which will see the first Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyers to be modernised with an upgraded radar.
This development marks the second option exercised from the March 2022 hardware, production and sustainment contract, which has a total value of up to $3bn over five years. The programme is anticipated to reach a cumulative value of $5.9bn by 2029, according to GlobalData intelligence.
GlobalData’s “The Global Naval Radar Market 2019-2029” outlines that countries across the globe are equipping their naval vessels with sophisticated air search radars to counter airborne threats, owing to which the segment will witness significant growth over the next decade.
Some of the significant procurement initiatives from 2019 to 2029 include the US Navy’s multi-billion-dollar programmes to acquire AN/SPY-6(V) air and missile defence radar and Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar for multiple classes of naval vessels, including the Flight III variants of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
The SPY-6 radars can defend against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hostile aircraft and surface ships simultaneously and provide several advantages over legacy radars, including greater detection range, increased sensitivity and more accurate discrimination.
Their scalable and modular radar arrays also reduce cost and sustainment needs while meeting the mission requirements of seven classes of ships. The upgraded radars will be installed on the Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
According to GlobalData’s “US Defense Market 2022-2027” report, the Arleigh Burke is a class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs) being constructed for the US Navy. They are built around the Aegis Combat System and the SPY-1D multi-function passive electronically scanned array radar.
They are multi-mission surface combatants designed to operate in high-threat environments. The modernisation will enhance their air and missile defence capabilities while enabling them to support a wide range of other missions.
The US Navy has secured contracts from Raytheon for the SPY-6 Radar for half a decade, receiving contracts as far back as 2018.
“Integration into the US fleet is well underway with SPY-6 operating on the US Navy’s first, new Flight III destroyer. This contract enables the Radar to be added to more ships including the first of existing Flight IIA destroyers that will be modernised,” said president of Naval Power at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Kim Ernzen.
