U.S. officials have said the radar, which will be built in Clear, Alaska and is due to start operating in 2020, will expand the ability of the U.S. military to detect and respond to potential missile launches from North Korea. The work is expected to be completed by January 21, 2024 when the contract will end.

LRDR is a long range radar that will provide precision metric data to improve ballistic defense discrimination and replace existing sensors in the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). With a mission of protecting the homeland, LRDR will keep pace with evolving ballistic missile threats and increase the effectiveness of ground based interceptors.

The program is built upon the U.S. government’s long-term investment in S-Band radar, ground-based radar, and systems integration, as evident in such Lockheed Martin technologies as the Aegis Combat System, Space Fence and Aegis Ashore. This solid state, gallium nitride (GaN)-based radar utilizes Lockheed Martin’s Open GaN Foundry model, which leverages relationships with strategic GaN suppliers.

LRDR combines proven solid-state radar technologies with proven ballistic missile defense algorithms, all based upon an open architecture platform capable of meeting future growth.