Lockheed Martin To Pursue New Army Missile Defense Sensor

Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT indicated it was responding to the needs of a U.S. Army request, which wanted a Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). According to the company, the industry-wide competition would offer a radar solution, which operates in the Army's Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) network and replaces the existing Patriot radar.

Lockheed Martin said the Army's stated goal for the LTAMDS acquisition program was to upgrade or replace the existing Patriot radar to enhance the operational effectiveness against the emerging threat and reduce sustainment cost associated with the current radar. The company disclosed that the new sensor needs to meet mobility, as well as, the transportability needs, and enhance reliability, availability and maintainability at a defined cost target.

The company's VP for Air and Missile Defense, Tim Cahill, commented, "With this request for information, the Army recognizes that a new radar is required to meet the current and emerging air and missile defense threats. This is an important milestone, another clear indication that the Army recognizes the aging Patriot weapon system is insufficient to meet modern air and missile defense operational requirements. We welcome the opportunity to provide state-of-the-art radar technology that will address the operational and logistic deficiencies of the Patriot."

Lockheed Martin claimed it was the only firm making active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars for the Army and was the only American firm exporting gallium nitride (GaN)-based AESA radars. It would leverage the $3 billion of investments in radar technology programs like Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), Space Fence, Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR), 3D Expeditionary Long Range Radar (3DELRR), AN/TPQ-53 and Aegis.