Raytheon receives $1.7 bn contract for LTAMDS

Raytheon has received a $1.7bn (£1.3bn) contract from the US Army to deliver the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radar. The contract covers a total of nine radar units for the US Army and Poland, which is the first international customer for the system. The agreement also includes provisions for engineering services, spare parts, support, development, and testing.

According to a Raytheon press release issued on September 23, LTAMDS has completed eight flight tests and has been validated by the US Army to have reached Milestone C, a stage that allows the programme to begin production and deployment. The system is now officially a programme of record for the US Army.

Tom Laliberty, president of Land & Air Defense Systems at Raytheon, said the contract highlights the need for the LTAMDS system and its 360-degree integrated air and missile defence capability. “After achieving Milestone C earlier this year, Raytheon continues to ramp up production to meet the fast-growing demand from the US Army and international partners,” he said.

International interest in the system is reportedly high, with more than a dozen countries having requested information and briefings. In October 2023, the Polish Minister of Defence signed a letter of acceptance with the US Army for 12 radars. The foreign military sale will make Poland the first international customer to integrate the radar into its air and missile defence architecture.

LTAMDS is designed to integrate with the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS). This integration is a key component of the US Army’s strategy to modernise its air and missile defence capabilities. It is the replacement for the Patriot radar system and is designed to provide greater detection range and improved classification against a wide variety of threats, including manned and unmanned aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonics. It has a primary array on the front and two secondary arrays on the back that work together to provide continuous, all-around coverage.

The current AN/MPQ-65 radar used by the Patriot provides sectoral coverage, which means that the radars have to be positioned facing the assumed direction of approach. This can leave defences open to threats that are omnidirectional, which has been identified as a key requirement for modern air defences.

The total US Army requirement is estimated to be for 94 radars at a cost of $13 billion including development. The US DoD’s Office of Inspector General audited the programme and produced a report in March this year, which revealed these figures. It also said that the Army had bought six LTAMDS prototypes for testing with plans to procure two more in 2025. 

Calibre comment

The IBCS makes integration of sensors the core of ground-based air defence. It means that sensors from different platforms like an F-35, the existing Patriot radar, and LTAMDS, can be used to provide target detection, tracking, and support interceptions. In theory, the IBCS is used to choose interceptors and manage the overall engagement. The hope is that this approach will create a more complete and accurate recognised air picture as well as better management of the available interceptor magazine. Russia’s massed airstrikes against Ukraine, and Iran’s against Israel, as well as China’s burgeoning arsenal of long-range strike assets make it clear that this type of approach is certainly warranted. However, the key to success is likely still in maintaining a healthy production line of air defence missiles. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on September 24, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Raytheon, it shows an LTAMDS radar.