Raytheon, an RTX business, has been awarded a contract from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to develop advanced target‑detection capabilities for naval radar systems.
Under the contract, Raytheon's Advanced Technology team will develop and evaluate advanced signal and data-processing algorithms and integrate targeted software upgrades to extend detection range, increase sensitivity and improve radar-system efficiency.
These enhancements will undergo rigorous laboratory and field testing to validate performance and operational use, preparing them for transition into Raytheon's SPY‑6 family of radars and other future naval radars.
Work under this contract will be conducted at Raytheon facilities in Portsmouth, R.I., and Andover, Massachusetts, through 2031.
Raytheon recently scored a contract valued up to $6.3 billion for the production and sustainment of Standard Missile-3 Block IB (SM‑3 IB) interceptors.
"Modernizing fielded radar systems with software-first upgrades is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to deliver mission-ready capability," said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon.
"These enhancements will enable naval operators to detect smaller objects at greater distances and classify targets more quickly, providing the fleet with faster, more informed decision‑making."
The program continues Raytheon's extensive work in software-defined apertures and leverages knowledge gained from prior ONR initiatives, including ASPIRE and STORM, which established foundational hardware and software advancements for next-generation radar capability.