Raytheon to Upgrade Target Detection Across US Navy SPY-6 Radars — The US Navy’s Office of Naval Research has awarded Raytheon a contract to develop advanced target-detection capabilities for the SPY-6 family of shipborne radars and future naval radar systems. Under the agreement, Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will develop and test signal- and data-processing algorithms and integrate software improvements intended to extend detection range, enhance sensitivity, and increase radar efficiency. The program builds on the company’s research into software-defined apertures and previous ONR initiatives, including ASPIRE and STORM, which advanced hardware and software technologies for next-generation radar systems. Work will take place at Raytheon facilities in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Andover, Massachusetts, through 2031. The SPY-6 family consists of four variants designed for different US Navy ship classes, providing 360-degree surveillance against cruise and ballistic missiles, aircraft, surface targets, and electronic warfare threats. The SPY-6(V)1, designed for Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, uses four arrays containing 37 Radar Module Assemblies each, while the SPY-6(V)4, intended for Flight IIA destroyers, features four arrays with 24 assemblies each. Both support integrated air and missile defence. The SPY-6(V)2 uses a rotating array for amphibious ships and is also intended for Nimitz-class carriers, while the SPY-6(V)3 incorporates three fixed arrays for Ford-class aircraft carriers. More than 50 naval vessels are expected to receive SPY-6 systems over the next decade.
