The Air and Missile Defense Radar, (AMDR), was designed to replace the AN/SPY-1 radar. It will give the Navy a better detection and discrimination capability for airborne and surface targets. It will provide enhanced multi-mission capabilities as well as greater reliability. It is built using Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs), which are self-contained radar transmitters and receivers that can be stacked to form any size array.
The AMDR system can be adapted to suit a variety of mission needs. The system includes a Radar Suite Controller that will coordinate the deployment of the AMDR-X and integrate with the existing AN/SPQ-9B X-band radar. Adaptive Digital Beamforming improves AMDR's signal-processing capabilities by using high-powered Gallium Nitride and (GaN). The system is primarily designed to detect and track surface and airborne targets at multiple ranges, with an expanded ability to provide 360-degree coverage. It will also be integrated with the Aegis Weapons System to provide information sharing and combat management for ships.
The AN/SPY-1 was used on Navy Aegis Burke and Ticonderoga-class destroyers, respectively. The system can track more targets than 100 at once, with target priority determined based upon threat level and range. AMDR's Active Electronically Scanned Array (ASEA) antenna is designed to attack airborne and surface targets. It also has a back end radar controller, which simplifies maintenance while reducing obsolescence. The radar is built with Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs) and will be stacked to fit any ship's mission requirements.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar Program has concluded its baseline contract. This is the beginning of developing the radar system. This contract includes design work that will lead to a PDR. A process for evaluating all aspects, including hardware, of the program. The system is designed to allow for an 8-year cycle and software updates every two.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) program recently completed the Hardware Delta Preliminary Design Review (PDR) in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. This review is important in the program's evolution, because it highlights the sophistication of the design as well as the technologies. An AMDR program will conduct a Critical Design Review later in the year. The CDR will include cost assessments and test and evaluation schedules. CDR evaluated every aspect of the program, including its hardware and software developments, risk mitigation, management, and program design. The AMDR program entered into an Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM), on October 4, 2013.
Raytheon was given a resume work order by the Navy in early 2014 to start production of the Air and Missile Defense Radar. It will include a single-faced 14-foot radar array that will not be tested at sea before the system is installed on DDG-51 Flight III. Contractor-operated indoor facilities will house the radar array. It is anticipated that the radar array will be tested on DDG-51's flight line in 2016.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar back-end radar control is a crucial development element. It was designed to be easy to replace and obsolete by using commercial x86 processing units. It is also designed to be open systems, which will allow the system integration with the Aegis Combat Management System. The AMDR radar system controller will require around 1.2 million lines.