The U.S. government has authorized several U.S. allies and security partners to potentially purchase via Foreign Military Sales the Raytheon-made (NYSE: RTN) AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar, for use in forward-based mode.
In forward-based mode, the AN/TPY-2 is positioned near hostile territory and acquires ballistic missiles in the boost (ascent) phase of flight shortly after they are launched. The radar then tracks and discriminates the threat, and passes critical information required by decision makers and missile defense warfare systems through a command and control battle management network.
"As ballistic missiles proliferate and become more technically advanced, obtaining the forward-based AN/TPY-2 will enable America's friends and allies to improve the performance of already capable defensive systems such as Patriot," said Raytheon's Dave Gulla, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems' Global Integrated Sensors business area. "By acquiring a forward-based mode AN/TPY-2, or using terminal-mode AN/TPY-2 in forward-based mode, customers will significantly enhance their defensive capabilities."
The AN/TPY-2 is a transportable X-band radar that protects civilians and infrastructure in the U.S., deployed warfighters, and allied nations and security partners, from the growing ballistic missile threat. According to recent Congressional testimony by the Director of the Missile Defense Agency, the ballistic threat continues to grow as potential adversaries acquire a greater number of ballistic missiles, increase their range, incorporate countermeasures, and make them more complex, survivable, reliable, and accurate.
The terminal-mode AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar is already approved for export as the fire control radar of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Terminal- and forward-based mode radars are physically identical; the key difference between the two is how the software is configured to manage radar resources for the needs of each mission.
About AN/TPY-2
AN/TPY-2 is a high resolution, transportable, rapidly deployable X-band radar capable of providing long range acquisition, precision track, and discrimination of all classes of ballistic missiles. AN/TPY-2s are deployed globally in both terminal or forward-based mode.
- AN/TPY-2 has performed effectively in both terminal and forward-based mode in all major tests.
- On Sept 10, 2013, two AN/TPY-2 radars – one terminal and one forward-based – achieved all test objectives in FTO-01, the U.S. military's first operational test of the Ballistic Missile Defense System.
- The forward-based AN/TPY-2 extended the battlespace during FTM-15 by enabling a Standard Missile-3 to launch on remote and intercept a separating Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile.
- Raytheon has delivered 10 AN/TPY-2s to the Missile Defense Agency. They are operationally deployed in Japan, Turkey, Guam, Israel and Central Command.
Source: http://www.raytheon.com/