Would replace Lockheed Martin's AN/SPY-1 as Navy's most advanced radar over the next decade.
This award would seem to ensure Raytheon's future, but Lockheed Martin will not give up easily and protests. GAO protests are not upheld very often. Every since the SPY-1, Lockheed Martin operations (formerly RCA) has built up its Moorestown, NJ operations based on it. Loss to Raytheon, primarily in Massachusetts would be killer, and so it is not surprising that they protest.
In some ways, this could be viewed as recapture of the phased array market. The first time the Navy used fixed aperture phased array radars was the AN/SPS-32/33 developed by Hughes Aircraft GSG (later purchased by Raytheon after being owned by GM) for two unique vessels: the CVN-65 USS Enterprise and the CGN-9 USS Long Beach. This phased array radar system was known as SCANFAR. SCANFAR was intended to be better at tracking multiple airborne targets than conventional rotating antenna radars. The AN/SPS-32 was a long-range air search and target acquisition radar. The AN/SPS-32 operated together with the AN/SPS-33, which was the square array used for 3D tracking, into one system. It placed a massive power drain on the ship's electric system. The technology of the AN/SPS-32 was based on vacuum tubes and the system required constant repairs. The SPS-32 was a phased array radar which had a range of 400 nautical miles against large targets, and 200 nautical miles against small, fighter-size targets. These early phased arrays, replaced around 1980, were responsible for the distinctive square-looking island. The AN/SPS-32 and AN/SPS-33 radars, while ahead of their time, suffered from issues relating to electrical beam steering mechanism and were not pursued in further ship classes. To some extent, they were replaced by the AN/SPS-48E which used frequency scanning in the vertical and mechanical azimuth rotation. While they are considered to be an early form of "phased array" radar, they were ahead of their time and it would take the later technology of the Aegis phased array AN/SPY-1 with its electronically controlled beam steering to make phased array radars both reliable and practical for the USN.
AMDR: Raytheon Wins EMD Competition for the USA’s Next Dual-Band Radar
Lockheed Martin Protests Navy’s Next Generation Radar Decision | USNI News
Oct 22-23/13: Protest. Lockheed Martin filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), arguing that they “submitted a technically compliant solution at a very affordable price. We do not believe the merits of our offering were properly considered during the evaluation process.” Lawmakers from New Jersey, where Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors is located, had sent a letter to the Navy Secretary a few days ago criticizing the award to Raytheon. The Navy subsequently issues a stop-work order, while the GAO has until the end of January 2014 to give its verdict.
Key component of next generation fleet ABMD and AAW provides multiple frequency multi aperture integration for all major ships. See simulated engagement.
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