US Army successfully tests LTAMDS radar against air and missile threats

News, US December 17, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. Army successfully conducted a second live-fire test of its advanced Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar against air and missile threats.

During the test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, a tactical ballistic missile surrogate was launched, flying a threat-representative trajectory. The LTAMDS successfully acquired and tracked the target and passed the data to the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) for launch command. The radar then guided a Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile to intercept the target.

U.S. defense firm Raytheon Technologies’ (RTX) LTAMDS achieved all objectives and validated the radar’s performance. “This tactical ballistic missile live fire represents the latest in a series of test event successes, closely following the cruise missile live fire test and the recently completed contractor verification testing,” the RTX statement read.

According to American defense firm Northrop Grumman, its IBCS played a crucial role in the latest test and demonstrated its ability to integrate sensors and effectors, fusing data across the battlespace to defeat complex air and missile threats.

Northrop Grumman’s IBCS successfully “defected, identified, and maintained an accurate composite track of incoming low- and high-altitude threats” and engaged and destroyed an air-breathing cruise missile and a theater ballistic missile surrogates using PAC-3 missiles.

^{Northrop Grumman integrated the widest variety of sensors to date on the Integrated Fire Control Network for an IBCS test, including one Marine Corps Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar, two Army Sentinel radars, one Army Patriot radar, and two U.S. Air Force F-35 fighter aircraft. (Image Credit: Northrop Grumman)}

Rebecca Torzone, vice president and general manager of combat systems and mission readiness at Northrop Grumman, said, “Integrating LTAMDS into IBCS marks another critical milestone achieved for this unrivaled battle command system that continues to reshape the battlespace across multiple missions, optimizing current and future networked air and missile defense in a cost-effective manner.”

U.S. Army COL Jason Tate, STARE Project Manager for PEO Missiles and Space said, “With each test, we’re putting the radar up against realistic threats that our forces could face on the battlefield. And with each success, we see capability improvement for this transformational radar.”

Col. Tate highlighted that “From the start, the goal was to design a next-generation radar capable of outpacing the full range of current and future threats – and we will achieve that goal with LTAMDS.”

Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS)

LTAMDS, also called ‘Ghost Eye’ by its developer Raytheon, is the next-generation 360-degree air and missile defense radar for the U.S. Army. It is an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, powered by Raytheon-manufactured Gallium Nitride. The radar provides better performance against a range of threats, from manned and unmanned aircraft to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons.

The LTAMDS radar is a key component to advance the U.S. Army’s modernized air and missile defense strategy. At present, there are six LTAMDS progressing through integration and test activities at various test sites of the U.S. government and Raytheon facilities. The formal testing of the radar will continue through 2024.

Poland LTAMDS system — ^{LTAMDS is the next-generation air and missile defense radar, providing better performance against manned and unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic weapons. (Image Credit: RTX)}

U.S. defense firm Northrop Grumman has integrated the developmental LTAMDS sensor into its IBCS, improving the system’s ability to provide full battlespace awareness. According to Northrop Grumman, “The IBCS-enabled LTAMDS will replace existing Patriot radars when fielded in 2027.”

Last month, U.S. leading defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin’s Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) was successfully integrated with the LTAMDS radar to defend against air-breathing threats.