News Summary
Raytheon has begun construction on a $53 million expansion of its testing facility aimed at the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) program. Spanning 23,000 square feet, the new facility will enhance the production capabilities of advanced missile defense systems for the U.S. Army. The initiative aligns with the Army’s broader investment in LTAMDS, which aims to replace the existing Patriot missile system and address emerging threats like hypersonic weapons. Completion is expected by late 2026, significantly increasing radar production rates.
Andover, Massachusetts – Raytheon has commenced construction on a significant expansion of its integration and testing facility dedicated to the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) program, with an estimated investment of $53 million. The new facility will span 23,000 square feet and is focused on developing advanced missile defense systems for the U.S. Army. This initiative aims to bolster production capabilities for the LTAMDS, which is designed to ultimately replace the existing Patriot missile system.
The LTAMDS is built to address emerging threats, such as hypersonic weapons, which have become increasingly prevalent in modern warfare. Earlier this year, the U.S. Army approved the LTAMDS program, which is part of a broader production investment exceeding $400 million. The Army has authorized Raytheon to proceed with low-rate initial production following successful flight tests and radar qualification trials.
Raytheon has a proven track record with the LTAMDS program, having already produced six prototype units and is now building two enhanced units based on previous testing feedback. These enhancements are expected to be delivered to the Army for further assessment within the year. Additionally, one of the prototypes was deployed to Guam for direct field testing, reinforcing Raytheon’s commitment to developing robust defense systems.
The construction of the new facility is a strategic move that includes installing overhead cranes to facilitate the assembly of full radar arrays, along with their associated cooling, networking, and processing equipment. Raytheon anticipates completing the facility by late 2026, with a goal to finish by the end of the third quarter of that year. This expansion aligns with Raytheon’s plans to significantly increase the production rate of the LTAMDS, which is expected to rise from six to twelve radars annually under the current Army contract.
The projected operating capacity of the factory may allow for an output of up to 18 radars per year for foreign military sales, driven by strong interest from international customers. Formal expressions of interest for the LTAMDS have been received from approximately a dozen potential international clients. The first foreign customer, Poland, has committed to purchasing 12 units alongside 48 Patriot launchers.
The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon a substantial $1.7 billion contract for the LTAMDS production, raising the overall value of the contract to $3.8 billion, with an expected completion date by the end of 2029. The initial production lot will comprise fourteen radars, including the twelve ordered by Poland. Furthermore, the Army is focused on improving production efficiency, aiming to reduce the build time of the LTAMDS from 40 months to 36 months.
As of now, several developmental milestones for the LTAMDS program have been successfully cleared, paving the way for its continued progress. The Army’s anticipated initial operational test and evaluation is slated for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026. With the strategic expansion of Raytheon’s facility in Andover, Massachusetts, the company is poised to enhance national defense capabilities while responding to the evolving needs of its military clients.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
- RTX News: Groundbreaking for LTAMDS Expansion
- Wikipedia: Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System
- C4ISRNET: Raytheon Expands Massachusetts Plant
- Google Search: LTAMDS expansion
- The Defense Post: Safran Support for LTAMDS
- Google Scholar: LTAMDS program
- Defense News: Army Awards $1.7B to RTX
- Encyclopedia Britannica: LTAMDS
- DefCros News: Raytheon Facility Expansion
- Google News: Raytheon LTAMDS
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