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Raytheon has successfully completed another complex live-fire test of its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), marking a significant advancement in the US Army’s rigorous testing program.
This live-fire exercise is part of an extensive series designed to validate the capabilities of the advanced 360-degree radar and its integration with the Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture.
The LTAMDS program is progressing under an aggressive schedule, with multiple radars undergoing simultaneous testing and integration at various Raytheon and US government test locations.
The latest trial saw LTAMDS detect and track a high-speed cruise missile, guiding a Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) to intercept the surrogate threat.
“This most recent test represents a significant milestone for both Raytheon and the Army, demonstrating the combat-proven PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor with the transformational LTAMDS radar,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land and Air Defense Systems at Raytheon.
The tests have grown in complexity to challenge the radar’s performance against real and simulated threats. So far, LTAMDS has successfully met demanding objectives, demonstrating its reliability and advanced capabilities. The program is expected to achieve Milestone C – the official transition from development to production – by the second quarter of FY2024–25.
International interest in LTAMDS remains strong, with more than a dozen nations seeking information and receiving briefings. In August 2024, Raytheon secured a US Army contract worth over US$2 billion (AU$3.16 billion) to supply radars for both the US and Poland.
“LTAMDS will further enhance Patriot’s unmatched air defence capabilities, helping the Army and customers around the globe defend against increasingly complex threats,” Laliberty said.
As part of this foreign military sale, Poland has become the first international customer to integrate LTAMDS into its air and missile defence system, reinforcing global confidence in the technology.
