The Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR), developed by Lockheed Martin, successfully detected, tracked, and discriminated a live ballistic missile threat amid challenging conditions in the north Pacific. The system distinguished real threats from decoys and background clutter, reinforcing its role in national deterrence.
"Deterrence begins with detection, and the successful FTX-26a demonstration underscored LRDR's ability to detect and track threats at extended ranges, while accurately distinguishing between targets and non-targets," said Rick Cordaro, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Radar and Sensor Systems. "This technical advancement will significantly bolster our nation's deterrence capabilities, providing a game-changing asset for homeland defense. With its open architecture, LRDR will facilitate the seamless integration of emerging technologies and software, enabling warfighters to receive timely, actionable information for decision-making and drives rapid response."
The test scenario involved an air-launched target equipped with countermeasures. Under the direction of the Command and Control Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system, LRDR tracked the target and relayed data to C2BMC, which then shared it to support a simulated Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) intercept.
Key outcomes from FTX-26a included the LRDR's ability to perform its core mission functions in a realistic, cluttered environment and C2BMC's success in providing real-time radar data for integrated missile defense operations.
The successful test underscores LRDR's open-system design, which supports future technology upgrades and enhances interoperability across defense platforms.
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