Raytheon to be awarded contract for AN/TPY-2 radars for Saudi THAAD system.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is in charge of an acquisition strategy approved to solicit and negotiate with only one source, the Raytheon Company, in support of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for the procurement of seven Army Navy/Transportable Surveillance and Control Model 2 (AN/TPY-2) radars, radar spares, obsolescence redesign, sustainment services, and initial Contractor Logistics Support (CLS).

Raytheon AN/TPY-2 radar (Picture source: Raytheon)

As an element of the THAAD system, the radars must be able to detect, track, and discriminate threat missiles and communicate with the THAAD interceptor during the various phases of the THAAD mission. The radars must be effectively integrated into the THAAD system in support of KSA ballistic missile defense. Only Raytheon Company is capable of delivering the AN/TPY-2 radars and associated support services without requiring significant additional non-recurring costs and unacceptable delays. These radars will be the first export TPY-2's upgraded with Gallium Nitride.

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system designed to shoot down short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase (descent or reentry) by intercepting with a hit-to-kill approach. THAAD was developed after the experience of Iraq's Scud missile attacks during the Gulf War in 1991. The THAAD interceptor carries no warhead but relies on its kinetic energy of impact to destroy the incoming missile. A kinetic energy hit minimizes the risk of exploding conventional-warhead ballistic missiles, and the warhead of nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles will not detonate upon a kinetic-energy hit.

Originally a United States Army program, THAAD has come under the umbrella of the Missile Defense Agency. The Navy has a similar program, the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, which also has a land component ("Aegis ashore"). THAAD was originally scheduled for deployment in 2012, but initial deployment took place in May 2008.