ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md.,
Dec. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/
-- For the first time, the U.S. Army lofted a blimp equipped
with a new cruise-missile and drone-fighting radar system high
above rural Maryland. The system,
made by Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and known as JLENS, consists
of two helium-filled aerostats, or tethered blimps, that float
10,000 feet above the ground and carry powerful radars.
"JLENS is strategically emplaced to help defend Washington D.C. and a Texas-sized portion of the East Coast from
cruise missiles, drones and hostile aircraft," said Dave Gulla, vice president of Raytheon
Integrated Defense Systems' Global Integrated Sensors business.
"JLENS can detect potential threats at extremely long ranges,
giving North American Aerospace Defense Command more time to make
decisions and more space to react appropriately."
As part of the deployment, Raytheon engineers raised one of the
football-field sized aerostats thousands of feet in the air and
conducted a series of tests to ensure it was operating as
designed. The company will continue to test and integrate the
radar for several more days, then turn the first JLENS balloon over
to Soldiers of the U.S. Army's A Battery, 3rd Air Defense
Artillery.
The second aerostat is scheduled to go aloft in early
2015. Following a series of additional tests, it will also be
turned over to the Soldiers, who will conduct an operational
exercise with JLENS.
During the exercise, information from JLENS will be used by
NORAD, the U.S.-Canadian organization charged with aerospace
warning, aerospace control and maritime warning for North
America. The 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command,
which is responsible for defending the airspace over the National
Capital Region, will also use information from JLENS.
Another JLENS system is in strategic reserve, ready to be
deployed anywhere in the world at the request of combatant
commanders, should they require comprehensive cruise missile
defense capability.
About JLENS
A JLENS system, known as an orbit,
consists of ground equipment and an integrated radar system on two
tethered, 80-yard aerostats, which fly at altitudes of 10,000 feet
above sea level and remain aloft and operational for 30 days. This
capability better enables commanders to defend against threats
including cruise missiles, drones, and aircraft. JLENS also
provides ascent phase detection of tactical ballistic missiles and
large-caliber rockets.
- JLENS completed developmental testing in December, 2013
- JLENS has demonstrated its ability to integrate with defensive
systems and help Patriot, AMRAAM, NASAMS and Standard Missile 6
intercept cruise missile targets.
- JLENS proved it can detect and track short-range ballistic
missiles in their boost phase during a series of tests in
2013.
About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2013 sales of
$24
billion and 63,000 employees worldwide, is a
technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security
and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of
innovation spanning 92 years, Raytheon provides
state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other
capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command,
control, communications and intelligence systems, as well
as cyber security and a broad range of mission support
services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit
us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter
@Raytheon
Raytheon Company
Integrated Defense Systems
Tewksbury, Mass.
Media Contact
Mike
Nachshen
+1.520.269.5697
idspr@raytheon.com
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-us-army-missile-fighting-radar-blimp-airborne-on-east-coast-300014091.html
SOURCE Raytheon Company