Raytheon Technologies business Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RI&S) has secured a five-year $146m contract to support the US Navy’s counter narco-terrorism operations.
The contract will see RI&S continue operating and maintaining the US Government’s relocatable over-the-horizon radar (ROTHR) system.
ROTHR is a long-range, land-based, wide-area surveillance system that tracks aircraft and surface ships within designated surveillance zones off the US coastline.
It is now the primary detection system for ‘border security and drug smuggling interdiction’ for the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S).
JIATF-S coordinates the detection and combating of illicit trafficking and other ‘narco-terrorist threats’ to US national security.
Last year alone, ROTHR contributed to the ‘seizure of 26 metric tonnes of cocaine’ from drug smugglers who attempt to pass through the territory.
In April 2016, Raytheon received a $104m contract from the US Navy’s Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) to provide operations and maintenance services for the ROTHR programme.
Raytheon Intelligence & Space Cybersecurity, Training and Services vice-president John DeSimone said: “Raytheon Technologies’ ROTHR systems have supported US Navy operations for over 30 years.
“We will continue to work closely with the navy and JIATF South to help protect our national security.”
The latest contract covers operations and maintenance at six ROTHR locations in Puerto Rico, Texas and Virginia.
According to Raytheon Intelligence & Space, each radar provides more than 2.5 million square miles of coverage area, resulting in low-cost operations.
Last August, RI&S-built Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) completed its first flight test on the EA-18G Growler aircraft.
