Northrop Grumman has demonstrated its Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) system’s capabilities as part of initial range testing for the US Navy.
During near field testing, the AMDR system validated its digital beam forming performance, tuning techniques and reliable system operation.
Subsequently, it also demonstrated its full-power operational capabilities during far field range testing at the company’s facility in Baltimore, Maryland, US.
Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Concepts and Technologies division sector vice president and general manager Patrick M Antkowiak said: "The performance demonstrated during this testing has confirmed Northrop Grumman’s ability to provide the lowest-cost and best-performing radar system at low-risk to the Navy’s critical shipbuilding plans.
"Our Air and Missile Defense Radar system is capable of supporting the needs of this country’s surface navy for decades to come."
Designed for installation onboard the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, as well as a range of future surface combatants, the next-generation scalable, multi-mission radar system features active electronically scanned array (AESA) S-band radar, which will provide situational awareness to identify, locate and target ballistic missiles in littoral environments.
Northrop received a $120m two-year contract to conduct technology development in support of the AMDR S-band radar and radar suite controller.
More than 500 military and commercial S-band radars have been delivered by the company to date that are currently operational on several platforms.
The company delivered the AMDR S-band radar and radar suite controller engineering and manufacturing development and low rate initial production phases of the programme in July 2012.
Image: Northrop Grumman’s Air and Missile Defense Radar. Photo: courtesy of Northrop Grumman.
