Raytheon Co.’s Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) at Thule Air Base, Greenland, has achieved a significant milestone on its path toward operational status, successfully tracking its first satellite in an operational space surveillance mission configuration. “It is impressive that this event was accomplished after only 31 hours of test time that sets a new record for bringing a UEWR system to the first track milestone,” said Pete Franklin, vice president of National and Theater Security Programs for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. “Upgrading the UEWR will provide increased capability for missile defense.”
As the prime contractor, Raytheon is integrating new leading-edge electronics, computer hardware and mission software that upgrades the existing two-faced, phased-array antenna facility at the remote site and adds capability to support missile defense missions. Raytheon, awarded the Thule UEWR contract in April 2006, will support integrated tests of the Thule UEWR, performing missile defense, early warning and space surveillance missions. Developed by Raytheon, the UEWR continues the company’s heritage of Ultra High Frequency phased-array radars. The UEWRs add missile defense capabilities to the Raytheon-developed PAVE PAWS and Ballistic Missile Early Warning System radars, while continuing their missile warning and space surveillance missions for the US Air Force Space Command. The radar is a key sensor for the Missile Defense Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defense System, providing target detection and tracking to protect the US and other nations from ballistic missile attacks.