Euronaval Online 2020: Raytheon displays its SPY-6 latest generation of air defense radars for modern warships.

American company Raytheon displays new air defense radar SPY-6(V) for naval ships at Euronaval Online, the digital edition of Euronaval 2020, International naval defense and maritime security industry exhibition. The SPY-6 previously called AMDR (Air and Missile Defense Radar) is the latest generation of air-and-missile-defense radar designed to protect modern warships.

Raytheon AN/SPY-6(V) integrated Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) fitted on a US Navy's Flight III DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer scale model. (Picture source Navy Recognition)

The SPY-6(V) is a family of radars that will deliver significantly greater range, increased accuracy, greater resistance to environmental and man-made electronic clutter, advanced electronic protection, and higher reliability than currently deployed radars. It will provide integrated air and missile defense, and even periscope detection, for the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

The SPY-6 family is integrated, meaning they can defend against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hostile aircraft, and surface ships simultaneously. They provide several advantages over legacy radars, including significantly greater detection range, increased sensitivity, and more accurate discrimination.

The SPY-6 is available in four variants including the (V)1, (V)2, (V)3, and V(4). The AN/SPY-6(V)1 is a 4-sided phased array radar with 37 RMAs (Radar Module Assemblies). It is capable of simultaneous defense against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, air and surface threats, as well as performing electronic warfare.

The AN/SPY-6(V)2 is a rotating and scaled-down version with 9 RMAs estimated to have the same sensitivity as AN/SPY-1D(V) radar while being significantly smaller. It is capable of simultaneous defense against cruise missiles, air and surface threats, as well as performing electronic warfare.

The AN/SPY-6(V)3 is a 3-sided phased array fixed version of the EASR, each with 9 RMAs. It has the same capabilities as AN/SPY-6(V)2.[17] Operating in S-band, it will serve as a Volume Search Radar complementing the AN/SPY-3 X-band radar on Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers starting with John F. Kennedy (CVN-79).

The AN/SPY6(V)4 is a 4-sided phased array radar with 24 RMAs. Similarly to AN/SPY-6(V)1, it is capable of simultaneous defense against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, air and surface threats, as well as performing electronic warfare Planned to be retrofitted on Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class DDG.

In July 2020, Raytheon has announced the delivery of the first AN/SPY-6(V)1 radar array for installation on the future USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125), the U.S. Navy's first Flight III guided-missile destroyer. The SPY-6 family of radars performs simultaneous air, missile and surface defense on seven types of U.S. Navy ships.

Raytheon has planned to build 36 SPY-6 radar arrays in the next three years as part of low-rate initial production. The company is contracted with the U.S. Navy to deliver nine DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer SPY-6 radar to Huntington Ingalls Industries, and Bath Ironworks in Bath, Maine.