The Army has selected a vendor for its Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) program to find a replacement for the Patriot system’s radar, with plans to announce a contract award “within weeks.”
Brig. Gen. Brian Gibson, director of the Air and Missile Defense cross-functional team, told reporters Tuesday at the Association of the United States Army conference in Washington the Army is in final negotiations with the unspecified vendor ahead of awarding a deal for LTAMDS prototypes.
Photo: Raytheon
“The Army’s made a decision to downselect to a single vendor. We’re in active negotiations with the single vendor,” Gibson said. “We’re going to have a near-term breakthrough I believe soon. It’s just a matter of time as we negotiate with industry.”
Northrop Grumman [NOC], Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Raytheon [RTN], which makes the current Patriot radar, all submitted proposals for LTAMDS.
The three companies each participated in a “sense-off” event at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to demonstrate their offerings for the Army.
Gibson said the Army’s path forward for LTAMDS is tied in directly with the progress of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command Systems, which is being developed by Northrop Grumman.
“We have intentionally synchronized LTAMDS testing and fielding with IBCS testing and fielding, because LTAMDS is a standalone sensor,” Gibson said.
IBCS will serve as the Army’s future integrated air and missile defense command system, with plans to conduct an operational test next summer to inform final plans for initial fielding in 2022, according to Gibson.
“Our intent is to put it in the hands of soldiers, test it, stabilize to the best of the Army’s ability and then field it in 2022 with the first unit,” Gibson said.