U.S. seeks super-mobile missile defense radar

Colin Demarest

A night sky, streaked with red-orange missile salvos. — Missiles launched from Iran, seen over the West Bank in March. Photo: Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu via Getty Images

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is on the hunt for mobile radars that can track ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles from remote outposts where few troops are stationed.

Why it matters: Static sensors and established bases are easy targets.

Iran in recent months has targeted both, including an RTX-made AN/TPY-2 radar in Jordan.

Driving the news: The MDA this month published details on the upcoming Forward-Based Mode Radar Next competition, led by its Mobile Land-Based Sensors Project Office.

Zoom in: FBM Radar Next prototypes are expected to:

Fit in Boeing C-17 transporters;
Be set up within hours of arrival and torn down in minutes to evade fire;
Seamlessly work with existing command-and-control networks;
And be designed for rapid mass production while keeping costs low.

What they're saying: "As adversarial missile capabilities become increasingly sophisticated, the need for agile, survivable and highly precise forward-based sensors has never been greater," the MDA's notice reads.

What's next: Several phases of development, testing and evaluation are planned. Exactly when they begin is not clear.

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U.S. seeks super-mobile missile defense radar

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