The U.S. will soon have another system to defend against ballistic missiles. Raytheon delivered its ninth AN/TPY-2 ballistic missile defense radar to the Missile Defense Agency, six months ahead of schedule.

AN/TPY-2 is an integral element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. It is a mobile X-band radar that helps protect civilians and infrastructure in the U.S., deployed warfighters, and allied nations and security partners, from the growing ballistic missile threat. U.S. public intelligence estimates indicate there are more than 6,300 ballistic missiles not controlled by the U.S., NATO, China or Russia, with that number expected to reach almost 8,000 by 2020.

"Delivering this ninth radar is crucial because our nation's enemies continue to improve and proliferate their ballistic missile technology and tactics," said Raytheon's Dave Gulla, vice president of Integrated Defense Systems' Global Integrated Sensors business area. "The AN/TPY-2 consistently demonstrates its ability to pace the evolving threat, and test after test has proven it effectively defends against every category of ballistic missile."

The radar will be integrated into the U.S. Army's fourth Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense battery, serving as the "eyes and ears" of the system by searching, detecting, tracking and discriminating threats, and guiding the intercepting missile. Raytheon serves as one of MDA's prime contractors for THAAD.

Raytheon is currently under contract to provide three additional AN/TPY-2 radars for the MDA, and is in the process of building two radars for a U.S. ally in the Arabian Gulf.

AN/TPY-2 is a high resolution, mobile, rapidly deployable X-band radar capable of providing long range acquisition, precision track, and discrimination of all classes of ballistic missiles. The AN/TPY-2 may be deployed globally in either terminal or forward-based mode.

The AN/TPY-2 radar has two modes. In forward-based mode, the AN/TPY-2 cues the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), by detecting, discriminating and tracking enemy ballistic missiles in the ascent phase of flight. In terminal mode, it serves as the fire control radar for the THAAD system.

+ AN/TPY-2 has performed flawlessly in both terminal and forward-based mode in all major tests.

+ On Sept 10, 2013, two AN/TPY-2 radars - one terminal and one forward-based - achieved all test objectives in FTO-01, the U.S. military's first operational test of the Ballistic Missile Defense System.

+ The forward-based AN/TPY-2 extended the battlespace during FTM-15 by enabling a Standard Missile-3 to launch on remote and intercept a separating Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile.

+ Raytheon has delivered nine AN/TPY-2s to the Missile Defense Agency. Some of those radars are currently helping defend the U.S. and its allies in the European, Pacific and Central Command area of responsibilities.