In addition to launching the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) program, namely an air defense system to deal with intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) attacks. The United States is also currently developing a next-generation mobile radar system capable of detecting new types of threats in the future, including in this case ballistic missiles flying at hypersonic speeds.
Developed by Raytheon, the radar system in question is the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). The radar system, which is also called GhostEye, is designed for the needs of the US Army (US Army). Not only being able to detect hypersonic missiles, in a release Raytheon said that GhostEye is capable of detecting targets flying at a speed of 1.6 km per second.
Because it is designed to deal with targets moving at fantastic speeds, the LTAMDS adopts three antenna arrays – the main array at the front, and two secondary arrays at the rear. The radar design for detecting hypersonic missiles no longer uses a rotating antenna model, but instead uses a fixed angle antenna type.
The three antenna arrays on the LTAMDS work together, detecting and engaging multiple threats from all directions (360 degrees) at the same time.
The main array is roughly the same size as the array for the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, but has more than twice the power. The radar is designed for the US Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense system, and Raytheon hopes GhostEye will retain the military customer's existing investment in the Patriot system. As is known, the Patriot Hanud system also has the capability to intercept ballistic missile attacks.
Quoted from defensenews.com (9/8/2023), it is stated that the US Army has begun developmental testing of the LTAMDS in a new two-phase approach. LTAMDS, will serve as a radar in the Army's future Integrated Air and Missile Defense system. Congress mandated that the US Army deploy an LTAMDS battalion of four sensors by December 2023.
The US Army in this case awarded Raytheon a contract to build a prototype LTAMDS in 2019. But program officials had to make several adjustments over the past few years to meet congressional requirements due to integration challenges and supply chain delays caused by Covid-19.
So far six LTAMDS prototypes have been built and completed contractor verification testing a few weeks ago at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
Still from the same source, it is said that the US Army is also required to deploy three additional LTAMDS for air defense on Guam. The US Army plans to deploy up to five GhostEye systems by 2024 to meet Guam's needs. As is known, Guam, as the base of US military power in the West Pacific, is within the range of a hypersonic ballistic missile attack launched from the coast of mainland China.