The US Navy has awarded a $217m contract to Raytheon to provide two volume search radar (VSR) arrays for the Zumwalt Class destroyer programme and the USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78).

The architecture of the navy’s dual-band radar (DBR) allows automatic operation with minimal human intervention and the integration of the S-band VSR radar arrays with SPY-3 X-band multi-function radar capabilities enhances the technology.

DBR is now under testing at the navy’s engineering test centre in Virginia.

Under this contract the company will secure materials for the VSR as well as manufacture, test and deliver the radar system for the CVN 78 to support carrier air operations.

A second VSR unit for the Zumwalt Class destroyer programme will also be included in the contract.

The workplaces will be Raytheon’s Surveillance and Sensor Center in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin in New Jersey.