19 September 2014
Raytheon producing backup components for missile defense radar
By Richard Tomkins
Space War

JLENS joining National Capital Region air defenses Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. (UPI) Sep 19, 2014 - A Battery, 3rd Air Defense Artillery, will operate the system from Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, close to the nation's capital. JLENS stands for Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor, which is comprised of two aerostats, or tethered blimps, operating at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Each carry integrated radars that can protect a territory roughly the size of Texas from airborne threats. JLENS provides 360-degrees of radar coverage and can detect and track cruise missiles, drones and aircraft up to 340 miles distant. It has proven capable of integrating with defensive systems and helping Patriot, AMRAAM, NASAMS and Standard Missile 6 weapons intercept cruise missiles. Raytheon said its personnel worked with U.S. Northern Command and the soldiers to develop tactics, techniques and procedures for using JLENS as part of the National Capital Region's defense system. "When JLENS deploys to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., later this year, it will provide a powerful new capability to the National Capital Region's Integrated Air Defense System," said Dave Gulla, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Defense Systems' Global Integrated Sensors business area. "With this certification, the soldiers now possess the skills to maximize the capabilities of JLENS to help defend our country from the growing cruise missile and drone threat."

Tewkesbury, Mass (UPI) - Major sub-components of the AN/TPY-2 Ballistic Missile Defense system's radar are being built as backups to keep the radars running during maintenance periods.

Raytheon said the two trailer-sized sub-components it is building are the Electronic Equipment Unit and the Cooling Equipment Unit.

The EEU contains the processors of the AN/TPY-2 system with upgrades that enable the radar to rapidly discriminate threats from non-threats. The CEU keeps the radar operating at the optimal temperature, and distributes power to the system.

Construction of additional EEU and CEU units will enable the Missile Defense Agency to rotate sub-components out of the field for depot-level upgrades without having to temporarily shut down the radar system, Raytheon said.

"The AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar is a strategic asset which helps protect the people and things that matter 24/7/365," said Raytheon's Dave Gulla, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems' Global Integrated Sensors business area.

The AN/TPY-2 provides long-range acquisition, precision tracking and discrimination of all classes of ballistic missiles and can be deployed around the world in either terminal or forward-based mode. In terminal mode it is the fire-control radar for the THAAD missile defense system.

The contract from the Department of Defense for the two sub-systems is worth $53 million.

Raytheon said it is now constructing the equipment but gave no details as to when they will be delivered.