Raytheon, an RTX business, has been selected to modernise US Space Force radar sites that serve as the outermost layer of the nation's missile‑defence architecture. 

These strategic sensors provide early warning of launches, characterisation of objects and activity tracking in space.

Through the Ground-Based Radar Digitisation (GBRD) programme, Raytheon will work with the Space Force to modernise long‑serving systems, strengthening domain awareness and supporting a more resilient, layered security architecture. 

The programme will modernise and upgrade existing systems to enhance overall performance, improve reliability, and support more advanced operational capabilities, a Company statement said.

These updates will help ensure the radars continue to provide critical ground-based early warning and space monitoring capabilities for decades to come, it said.

"Digitizing these radar systems is essential to staying ahead of increasingly complex global threats," said Sam Deneke, president of Air & Space Defence Systems at Raytheon. 

"Raytheon's technical approach enables faster deployment of new capabilities that will support the Space Force's effort to extend the performance and mission utility of these strategically important sites," he said.

The proven, high-maturity solution uses a rapid development approach that creates a foundational technical baseline for the GBRD portfolio to accelerate delivery of new capabilities.

Working alongside the Space Force and industry will help create a common open architecture that improves sustainment efficiency, avoids vendor lock and simplifies future upgrades to system performance, according to Raytheon. 

The programme will deliver prototype solutions before transitioning to rapid fielding for the remaining locations, it added.