20 July 2018

Raytheon demos small X-band Low-Power Radar for precision approach guidance to multiple aircraft from extended range

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The Intelligence, Information and Services business of Raytheon Company of Waltham, MA, USA has demonstrated its silicon germanium (SiGe)-based Low-Power Radar’s ability to provide precision approach guidance to landing aircraft from 15 nautical miles (five more than the current capability) to military officials representing the US Navy, Army and Air Force in Brooksville, FL, USA.

LPR is a small, 1m2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) multi-mission X-band radar suitable for precision approach landings, aviation surveillance, precision weather observations, and small drone detection and tracking.

“It has broad applications across a lot of missions,” notes Matt Gilligan, VP of Raytheon’s Navigation, Weather and Services mission area. “Its extended range expands options for managing multiple fast aircraft on approach.”

LPR’s origin as a weather radar gives it an advanced dual-polarization capability that allows it to discern between heavy rain, hail, snow and sleet. It can also detect non-meteorological echoes from ground clutter, birds and tornado debris. It does this by transmitting and receiving both horizontal and vertical polarizations, unlike most radars that only transmit and receive radio waves with a single polarization.

Because it is an AESA radar, it offers higher-quality images than conventional radars. Phased-array radars are also cheaper to maintain and offer adaptive beam scanning, which allows the radar to track more targets and interweave between different radar applications.

With no moving parts, LPRs are more reliable and easier to maintain, giving them longer lifetimes and lower life-cycle costs. The program is on track for initial production in 2019.

Tags: Raytheon Radar MMIC

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