Raytheon, an RTX business, in partnership with the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation (SDPE) office and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, demonstrated the operational performance and readiness of the GhostEye MR advanced medium-range sensor for the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
GhostEye MR expands NASAMS’ combat-proven capabilities against enemy aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, and cruise missile threats. The radar was designed and developed by Raytheon, primarily through internal research and development investments. During the recent exercise, GhostEye MR was successfully integrated with NASAMS’ Air Defense Console and the Battlespace Command and Control Center (BC3), a command-and-control element used by the US Air Force.
“This experiment showed that GhostEye MR is a viable sensor option for integrated air and missile defense,” said Jim Simonds, U.S. Air Force Air Base Air Defense Program Manager at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. “The radar clearly demonstrated its ability to be rapidly deployed and detect and track live targets precisely at longer ranges, providing increased standoff and decision-making time.”
During a live threat scenario, all three components of an air base air defence solution designed for the US Air Force communicated effectively and shared relevant data. GhostEye MR provided a comprehensive air picture to the command-and-control system, which helped determine whether a target was a threat and what response was required. The radar also supported simulated engagements and, together with NASAMS, successfully defeated the targets.
“The team’s success demonstrates that GhostEye MR can meet the needs of the U.S. Air Force,” said Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon. “Air bases around the world face a growing array of sophisticated airborne threats, and this exercise marked a significant step toward fielding an integrated capability for air base air defense.”
This demonstration is a continuation of the successful air base air defence experiment that was conducted last year in Andøya, Norway. The experiment showcased the ability of NASAMS to engage and intercept various aerial threats by using multiple Raytheon missile types and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s Fire Distribution Center.
In August of last year, Raytheon was awarded its first government contracts to advance the development and assessment of GhostEye MR, which is a member of Raytheon’s GhostEye family of sensors.
GhostEye MR provides increased range and altitude coverage, expanding the defended-area capabilities of NASAMS. The radar is built with commonality with the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS), which is currently under development for the US Army.
