Germany has chosen Raytheon’s SPY-6(V)1 radar system to equip its forthcoming fleet of eight F127-class air defense frigates. The selection comes under a foreign military sales (FMS) proposal that also covers engineering support and integration services to adapt the radar architecture for the F127’s design requirements.
Once approved, the agreement would make Germany the first international customer for the SPY-6, a next-generation radar technology currently deployed across multiple U.S. Navy vessels. The SPY-6(V)1 configuration includes four radar arrays, each built with 37 radar modular assemblies (RMAs), enabling seamless 360-degree coverage and multi-domain situational awareness.
The radar’s scalable design is powered by Gallium Nitride-based transmit/receive modules, allowing simultaneous air and ballistic missile defense, surface tracking, and enhanced resilience against electronic interference. Part of the U.S. Navy’s broader SPY-6 radar family, the system supports seven different ship classes and is recognized for its modularity and power efficiency.
While Raytheon’s radar will form the core of the F127’s sensor suite, Lockheed Martin remains part of the program, providing its Aegis command and weapon control system. Germany’s decision reportedly followed a close evaluation that saw the SPY-6 selected over Lockheed Martin’s competing SPY-7 design.
