The U.S. Army has awarded Raytheon a $191 million contract for Ku-band radio frequency radars (KuRFS).

Described as an “advanced electronically scanned array system,” KuRFS fills an immediate operational need of the U.S. Army for a counter-UAS radar.

KuRFS, which is already deployed, not only delivers precision fire control, but it also provides a “sense and warn” capability for a variety of missions including detection of rocket, artillery, mortar and swarming UAS threats.

“Seeing threats – like swarming drones – as soon as possible on the battlefield is essential to protecting critical assets and saving soldiers' lives,” says Andrew Hajek, senior director of tactical radars at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

“KuRFS makes this possible by delivering a unique combination 360-degree situational awareness, precision and mobility.”

Through integration with the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System, 50-caliber guns and 30 mm cannons, KuRFS enables defense against a number of different threat types, Raytheon says. Additionally, the radar supports high-energy laser and the Coyote weapon system in both a ground mounted or vehicle mounted configuration.

Through a model of rapid-turn development and deployment, KuRFS can quickly address the urgent needs of the Army, which ultimately helps reduce time to fielding, while also providing enhanced flexibility to adapt to a quickly-changing threat environment in the UAS space.