OREANDA-NEWS. The United States Army is acquiring upgrade kits to make the combat-proven Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense system better at detecting and destroying threats, cost less to operate, and run even more reliably than it already does. The U.S. Army recently awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a contract modification to an existing contract for radar digital processor (RDP) upgrade kits, not to exceed the amount of $86.2 million.

Patriot radar array.

The contract modification, previously announced on Sept 30th, will enable the U.S. Army to finish upgrading their entire inventory of Patriots.  The U.S. Army began phasing the upgrade kits into its Patriot fleet in 2013.

The U.S. and members of the 13-nation strong Patriot partnership funded development of the RDP. Patriot batteries upgraded with the RDP will:

  • Better detect and identify targets, and have enhanced surveillance.
  • Cost less to operate and maintain. The legacy processor has more than 700 components, while the RDP just has fewer than 100.
  • Have a 40% higher reliability rate than systems with the legacy component.

"When one country develops an upgrade or improvement to Patriot, that capability is made available to the entire 13-nation Partnership," said Ralph Acaba, Raytheon vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense. "With more than 220 Patriot fire units owned by 13 countries, countries whose industrial bases participate in manufacturing Patriot have a very large potential export market."

The RDP and other Patriot upgrades leverage the lessons learned from Patriot's more than 190 combat employments, 700 flight tests and 2,500-plus ground tests.

About Global Patriot Solutions

Raytheon's Global Patriot Solutions is the most advanced portfolio of air and missile defense technologies in the world, providing comprehensive protection against a full range of advanced threats including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Continually upgraded and enhanced to leverage the latest technology, thirteen nations depend on Patriot as the foundation for their defense. 

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.