Raytheon moves forward with developing electromagnetic weapons for ballistic and hypersonic missile defense
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Missile defense experts at Raytheon Technologies Corp. are moving forward with a project to develop high-power microwave technologies to help defense the U.S. and its allies from attack by ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
Officials of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) in Albuquerque, N.M., announced a $13 million order Friday to the Raytheon Missiles & Defense segment in Tucson, Ariz., to complete the technology critical design review of their Microwave Technology Testbed system.
The Microwave Technology Testbed seeks to develop and mature electromagnetic weapons technologies with very long range and extreme power levels to defend against enemy ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
Electromagnetic weapons use high-power microwaves to damage or destroy the guidance and control electronic subsystems in enemy weapons systems like nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles and conventional hypersonic weapons.
A critical design review (CDR) ensures that a system can proceed into fabrication, demonstration, and test, and can meet performance requirements within cost, schedule, and risk.
The Microwave Technology Testbed will help test the lethality of different electromagnetic weapons technologies for ballistic and hypersonic missile defense, and procure long-lead items for the testbed. Long-lead items are difficult and time-consuming to obtain, and are funded early in the design process to keep overall production on schedule.
Raytheon will move forward from a baseline design, advanced technology insertion evaluation, and test planning, and prepare to support future phases for integration of the Microwave Technology Testbed. Raytheon won a $9.8 million contract from MDA in September 2020 to begin work on the Microwave Technology Testbed.
On Friday's order, Raytheon will do the work in Tucson, Ariz., and should be finished by February 2024. For more information contact Raytheon Missiles & Defense online at www.raytheonmissilesanddefense.com.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
