Raytheon has moved closer to producing a Gallium Nitride (GaN) based active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology equipped Patriot air and missile defence system. To date, engineers at Raytheon have assembled the main radar array’s superstructure, as well as completing development work on the power and cooling sub-systems. Scheduled to be performed in the coming months, additional upgrades will focus on integrating the sub-systems and populating the array superstructure with GaN-based transmit-receive units (TRLRU). Built at the company’s Massachusetts-based GaN foundry, the GaN TRLRUs are the heart of the radar and are identical to the ones used for the rear-panel arrays.
A GaN-based AESA radar benefits netted sensors, and will give the Patriot greater capability and reliability while significantly reducing operations and sustainment cost. The radar will work with an open-architecture common command-and-control node, which will be fully interoperable with Nato and the integrated air and missile defence battle command system. The system will also retain backwards compatibility with the current Patriot engagement control station.
The main AESA array is a 9in-wide and 13in-tall bolt-on replacement antenna, which is oriented toward the primary threat. The Patriot’s new rear panel arrays, which are a quarter the size of the main array, enable the system to look behind and to the sides of the main array, allowing Patriot to engage threats in all directions. They plan to have this framework up and running in early 2016.
