Aug 8 2017
Lockheed Martin’s next generation air and missile defense radar demonstrator will be launched at the Annual Space & Missile Defense Symposium this week in Huntsville, Alabama.
Lockheed Martin’s radar technology demonstrator is being developed to serve as the next generation sensor specifically designed to operate within the U.S. Army Integrated Air & Missile Defense (IAMD) framework. (Photo courtesy Lockheed Martin)
The active electronically scanned array (AESA) Radar for Engagement and Surveillance (ARES) is a representative complete prototype of the technology to support an advanced, 360 degree capable sensor that the U.S. Army will employ to deal with current and emerging air and ballistic missile threats.
This fractional array is representative of Lockheed Martin's potential Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor solution, constructed on a modular and scalable architecture to scale to the Army's necessities, and once concluded, will replace the aging Patriot MPQ-65 radar. The array on display in Huntsville will be used to mature technology and confirm performance to guarantee consistent 360 degree threat detection and system performance.
Incremental upgrades to the existing Patriot radar no longer address current sustainment issues, current threat performance shortcomings, or provide growth for future and evolving threats. Lockheed Martin is prepared to offer a next generation missile defense system that will leverage advances in radar technology to provide a modular, scalable architecture and reduce the total cost of ownership well over its 30 year lifecycle.
Mark Mekker, Director of Next Generation Radar Systems, Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin's active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology includes gallium nirtride (GaN) transmitter technology and modern signal processing methods including newly developed and proven 360 degree sensor/fire control algorithms based on current threat sets. These technologies and concepts have been completely integrated into both demonstration and production systems resulting in the industry's first fielded ground based radars having GaN technology.
The AESA technology is also utilized in the AN/TP/Q-53 radar system, which Lockheed Martin designed, engineered and delivered to the Army on an urgent need timeline of within 36 months, and which continues to be expanded to monitor emerging threats.
Our solution for the U.S. Army's new air and missile defense sensor is not a new-start program. It's a combination of technology maturation over several years and includes capability leveraged from our current development programs and battlefield-proven radars. We rely heavily on our modern radar systems such as the Q-53 and the Long Range Discrimination Radar to rapidly bring low-risk, proven technology to the warfighter. We look forward to the opportunity to participate in this competition that will ultimately drive up performance and reduce costs for the U.S. Army.
Mark Mekker, Director of Next Generation Radar Systems, Lockheed Martin
As an established global leader in systems integration and development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, Lockheed Martin offers superior-quality missile defense solutions that protect citizens, deployed forces and critical assets from present-day and future threats. The company's experience spans radar and signal processing, precision pointing and tracking optics, hit-to-kill capabilities, missile design and production, command and control/battle management, infrared seekers, as well as threat-representative targets for missile defense tests.
Missile Defense Radar Technology