Raytheon, an RTX business, has delivered the first AN/TPY-2 radar equipped with a full Gallium Nitride (GaN) array to Saudi Arabia. The company announced the delivery on Sept. 25, marking progress in the Kingdom’s missile defense program. This radar, a key component of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, represents an advancement in ballistic missile detection technology, offering superior energy efficiency, reduced weight, and increased power output compared to its predecessors..
“The latest AN/TPY-2 radar is now in a different class,” said Paul Ferraro, President of Air & Space Defense Systems at Raytheon. He noted that the company has implemented more than 50 enhancements to the radar, significantly boosting its performance envelope.
This delivery is the culmination of a process that began several years ago. In June 2020, Raytheon Missiles & Defense, then a newly formed business unit of Raytheon Technologies, secured a $2.3 billion production contract from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. This contract, part of a foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia, called for the production of seven GaN-based AN/TPY-2 radars.
The roots of this program stretch back even further. On Oct. 6, 2017, the U.S. State Department approved a potential $15 billion foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia, encompassing a comprehensive THAAD package. This package included 44 THAAD launchers, 360 interceptor missiles, 16 fire control and communications units, and crucially, seven AN/TPY-2 radars.
The delivery of this first radar unit represents a significant step in realizing the full scope of that 2017 approval. It’s worth noting that the number of radars has remained consistent from the initial approval through to the 2020 contract and now the first delivery, underscoring the steady progression of this long-term defense initiative.
The GaN technology integrated into these new radars is a game-changer for missile defense. It not only enhances the system’s ability to detect and track ballistic missiles but also expands its surveillance capacity. Perhaps most significantly, this technological leap enables the AN/TPY-2 to support emerging hypersonic missile defense missions, addressing a growing concern in global security circles.
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