SerpApi.Org
Raytheon has secured a $1.8 billion contract extension to build and support SPY-6 radar systems for the U.S. Navy, expanding a program that is expected to equip more than 50 Navy ships over the next decade.
The contract builds on an initial hardware production and sustainment deal awarded in March 2022. It also includes options that, if exercised, could increase the total value of the contract to $3.3 billion.
SPY-6 is designed to give Navy ships improved detection and tracking capabilities across multiple missions. The radar is already aboard two commissioned Navy ships, while 11 more vessels have the system installed and are moving through different stages of testing.
The program is expected to expand significantly as the Navy works to equip more ships with the radar system. Raytheon said its production plans are aimed at increasing output while keeping the technology available to the fleet for years to come.
Radar production gets bigger
The SPY-6 family is the result of more than a decade of radar design, testing and manufacturing work. The system has also undergone performance validation at sea as it moves from development into broader fleet deployment.
Raytheon has invested more than $800 million to upgrade its radar manufacturing facilities and increase production capacity. The company expects those improvements to help it double SPY-6 output by 2028.
The higher production capacity is intended to support the Navy’s long-term demand for the radar while also helping reduce costs. For the Navy, the expansion could provide a larger supply of standardized radar systems as more ships transition to the technology.
The radar’s growing deployment comes as naval forces face increasingly complex threats that require faster detection and tracking. Its multi-mission design is intended to support ships operating in different environments while giving crews a common sensing capability across a growing portion of the fleet.
“This contract extension reflects the Navy’s confidence in our ability to deliver advanced, reliable and scalable radar solutions,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “Our continued investment and commitment to ramping production will ensure the fleet has the sensing advantage to stay ahead of evolving threats for decades to come.”
Navy fleet gains sensing edge
The contract also has implications for Raytheon’s workforce. The company is expanding its engineering workforce in Andover, Massachusetts, to support the SPY-6 program, with positions available for new graduates, experienced engineers and veterans.
The production push will require Raytheon to maintain a steady manufacturing pace as additional Navy ships are prepared to receive the radar. The company’s investment in factory upgrades is therefore intended not only to increase the number of systems produced but also to create a more efficient production pipeline.
As the SPY-6 family moves onto more vessels, the Navy is expected to gain a more consistent radar architecture across its fleet. The systems are intended to support detection and tracking across a range of threats and missions, strengthening the sensing capabilities available to ships at sea.
The program also highlights the growing importance of advanced radar technology in modern naval operations, where the ability to detect potential threats early can be critical to a ship’s defensive response.
