Raytheon awards Anaren $8 million contract to support U.S. Navy radar program

DeWITT — Anaren, Inc. last week announced that Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems has awarded it an $8.3 million contract to support Raytheon’s work on a U.S. Navy radar program.

Integrated Defense Systems is one of four business units that are part of Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN), a Waltham, Mass–based aerospace and defense company, according to its website.

The contract supports the initial engineering and manufacturing development (E&MD) phase of Raytheon’s contract for the U.S. Navy’s next generation, integrated Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), Anaren said in a news release.

Awarded last month and extending through March 2015, the E&MD contract involves the first design-and-build activity related to the beamformer hardware that Anaren is contributing to the program, the local firm said.

The E&MD contract is part of the larger Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) phase of the program, which Anaren values at about $110 million over 10 years if all options are exercised, it said.

Following the LRIP, Raytheon will begin production, which could continue for about 20 years, Anaren said.

The Navy selected Raytheon to build, integrate, and test the Navy’s new open and energy-efficient advanced radar system for the detection of ballistic missiles and air/surface targets, according to Anaren.

Anaren provides its beamformer technology and packaging techniques in support of the program, which the firm contends are “important” tools in helping the radar achieve its mission requirements.

The DeWitt firm expects to perform the majority of work under the current and anticipated future contracts at the local facility, with its facilities in Salem, N.H. and Littleton, Colo. providing additional support, according to Anaren’s news release.

AMDR is the Navy’s next-generation, integrated air and missile-defense radar, which is designed for Flight III Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyers beginning in 2016.

It consists of an S-band radar, an X-band radar, and a Radar Suite Controller (RSC).

AMDR-S is a new development integrated air and missile-defense radar designed for long-range detection and engagement of advanced threats, Anaren said.

The X-band radar is an existing, horizon-search radar. The RSC provides S- and X-band radar-resource management, coordination, and interface to the Aegis combat system.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com