US invests more than $1bn in air defence system upgrades
Photo: air defence system (Getty Images)
The United States is continuing large-scale investments in the modernization of its air and missile defense systems. A new contract is aimed at addressing one of the key vulnerabilities in existing systems and is planned to run for several years, according to Defense Express.
The United States has awarded a $1.025 billion contract for the production of the new Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) radars.
The new radar is designed to address a critical vulnerability in Patriot air defense systems that previously reduced their effectiveness against Russian Iskander-M ballistic missiles.
According to the United States Department of Defense, deliveries under the contract are scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2030.
Funding and production timeline
At the time of contract award, about $255 million has been allocated from the 2026 budget.
The remaining funding is expected to be provided in stages in subsequent years, allowing for a stable and sustained serial production cycle.
Who to produce LTAMDS
The contract has been awarded to Raytheon.
Production will be based at the company’s facility in Andover, Massachusetts, which already specializes in advanced radar systems for the US Army and allied customers.
What malfunctions of Patriot are fixed
One of the main shortcomings of the current Patriot radars, AN/MPQ-53 and AN/MPQ-65, is their sector-based field of view, which creates so-called blind zones. These gaps can be exploited when planning missile attacks.
The LTAMDS architecture is intended to eliminate this vulnerability.
New radar capabilities
LTAMDS consists of a main radar and two side arrays, providing full 360-degree coverage.
This configuration is expected to significantly reduce the effectiveness of ballistic missiles launched along the previously weak directions of Patriot systems.
Demand from partners
The LTAMDS radar has recently completed testing and entered the initial phase of serial production. The initial production rate is planned at 12 units per year but may be increased to 18 units annually due to growing international demand.
The first foreign customer is Poland, which ordered the new radars together with Patriot systems and the localization of antenna production.
Amid the global rise in demand for air defense systems, other manufacturers are also considering expanding production capacity.
At the same time, Germany is preparing to deliver additional IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine.
According to the German ambassador, nine systems have already been transferred, with further deliveries expected in the near future.
