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 have improved multi-mission capabilities, and greater reliability. Radar Modular Assemblies are self-contained receivers and transmitters that can be stack to create any size array.
The AMDR system is modular and adaptable, designed to fulfill a wide range of mission requirements. 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 is a way to enhance AMDR's signal processor. It makes use of high-powered Gallium Nitride, (GaN), semiconductors to give it more advanced capabilities. This system is designed to track and detect surface and airborne targets at various ranges. It also has expanded coverage to cover 360 degrees. The Aegis Weapons System integration will allow ships to share information and manage combat.
The AMDR program is expected to replace the AN/SPY-1, which has been used on Navy Aegis Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. It can track more 100 targets simultaneously and prioritize targets based on range and threat. AMDR's Active Electronically Scanned Array(ASEA) antenna can be used to attack both airborne or surface targets. It also features a back-end controller for radar that simplifies maintenance and decreases obsolescence costs. Radar Modular Assemblies or RMAs are used to construct the radar. It can be stackable to fit any ship's mission specifications.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar project has completed its baseline contract. It is the first step in the development of a radar system. This contract covers design work that leads to a PDR. This is a process for evaluating every aspect of the program including software and hardware. The system is designed for an 8 year cycle, with software upgrades every two years.
Recently, the Air and Missile Defense Radar program (AMDR), completed the Hardware Delta Preliminary Design Review. (PDR), in Tewksbury (Massachusetts). This review is an important milestone in the development of the program, because it shows the maturity and effectiveness of the design. Later this year, the AMDR program plans on conducting a Critical Design Review. 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 executed an Acquisition Decision Memorandum on October 4, 2013.
Raytheon received a restart work order from the Navy in 2014 to begin production of the Air and Missile Defense Radar. It will consist of a single-faced 14-foot radar antenna that will not go to sea until it is installed on DDG-51 Flight III. Contractor-operated indoor facilities are where the radar array will be constructed. It is anticipated that the radar array will be tested on DDG-51's flight line in 2016.
The Air and Missile Defense Radar's back-end radar controller is a key development element. It uses commercial x86 processors to facilitate maintenance replacement and obsolescence. The system will interface with Aegis combat control system via an open system approach. The AMDR radar controller will require approximately 1.2 millions lines of code.