US Army Strengthens Missile Shield with RTX $1.7B LTAMDS Radar Contract.

Raytheon, an RTX company, announced in Andover, Massachusetts, that it won a $1.7 billion U.S. Army contract for LTAMDS radars. The deal marks the transition to full production and includes Poland as the system’s first international buyer.

Raytheon, part of RTX, confirmed on September 23, 2025, in Andover, Massachusetts, that it secured a $1.7 billion contract with the U.S. Army for the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). The deal covers nine advanced radars for the Army and Poland, along with engineering, spare parts, testing, and technical support. It matters because the award moves LTAMDS from development into production, strengthening U.S. missile defense capabilities and extending them to NATO allies.
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 The LTAMDS, based on an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and using gallium nitride transmit-receive modules produced by Raytheon, provides full 360-degree coverage (Picture source: Raytheon)

LTAMDS is presented as a cornerstone of future air and missile defense architectures. This radar, based on an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and using gallium nitride transmit-receive modules produced by Raytheon, provides full 360-degree coverage. It simultaneously detects and tracks a wide range of threats, from aircraft and drones to cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and hypersonic projectiles. Compared to legacy forward-facing Patriot radars, LTAMDS removes blind spots and significantly increases detection ranges, ensuring earlier warning and greater responsiveness against saturation attacks or maneuvering threats.

The system’s sophistication largely relies on the quality and variety of the data it generates. LTAMDS collects and transmits detection and targeting information in real time through the simultaneous use of multiple frequency bands: C-band for the primary mission, and X-band and S-band for missile communications. This multi-band approach delivers a complete and reliable view of the airspace while ensuring secure communication with interceptors. The data include location, velocity, and classification of threats, whether manned aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, or hypersonic weapons. Their precision provides interceptor systems such as the Patriot PAC-3 MSE with refined targeting capability, improving interception success rates.

This information is directly integrated into the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), the U.S. Army’s networked command-and-control system. IBCS processes multi-sensor data to generate optimized engagement solutions and guide missiles toward their targets, regardless of which sensor supplied the initial information. LTAMDS therefore contributes not only through its detection performance but also through its ability to feed a distributed architecture, where radars and effectors operate together to strengthen layered defense.

Technological progress of the program has been demonstrated in the field. On August 15, 2025, at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the U.S. Army conducted a key test validating LTAMDS’ circular coverage. During this trial, the radar detected, tracked, and classified an aerial target representing an “air breathing” threat, then transmitted the data to IBCS. The command system calculated a solution and ordered a successful interception with a Patriot PAC-3 MSE missile. This event marked several firsts: integration of the large tactical power system with LTAMDS, interception using the radar’s secondary array, and employment of IBCS low-rate initial production hardware. According to Lt. Col. Farmer, the program manager, the test demonstrated the ongoing development of a fully integrated 360-degree sensor and confirmed the program’s progress at a pace aligned with operational requirements.

This milestone follows a series of eight successful flight tests that had already enabled the Army to reach the Milestone C decision, authorizing initial production. With Raytheon increasing production rates, LTAMDS is expected to progressively replace legacy Patriot radars while supporting both national defense and expeditionary missions. For Poland, the acquisition is part of the Wisła medium-range air defense program and represents a decisive step toward integrating a modern system fully interoperable with NATO.

The strategic context gives this acquisition added weight. Poland, positioned on the front line of ongoing tensions in Eastern Europe, has since 2022 multiplied purchases of U.S. equipment: Abrams tanks, HIMARS launchers, and F-35 aircraft. With the choice of LTAMDS, Warsaw reinforces its missile defense posture while aligning its capabilities with those of the United States and the Alliance. More than a dozen countries have reportedly expressed interest in the system, reflecting growing concern over missile proliferation and the emergence of hypersonic threats.

For the U.S. Army, the gradual replacement of the Patriot radar with LTAMDS marks a turning point. It means moving from a system that has been in service for decades to a radar specifically designed to address contemporary threats. The September 2025 contract also reflects an intent to accelerate acquisition timelines to meet operational needs. For RTX and Raytheon, the program establishes LTAMDS as a central element of future air and missile defense architectures, both in the United States and among allied nations.

Written By Erwan Halna du Fretay - Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Erwan Halna du Fretay is a graduate of a Master’s degree in International Relations and has experience in the study of conflicts and global arms transfers. His research interests lie in security and strategic studies, particularly the dynamics of the defense industry, the evolution of military technologies, and the strategic transformation of armed forces, with a strong focus on multilateral cooperation and geopolitics.