Raytheon’s SeaVue Multi-role Radar (SVMR) showcased its long-range target detection capabilities during the U.S. Navy’s Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) – the world’s largest international maritime exercise.
As noted by the company, this demonstration highlighted the significant advancements Raytheon, an RTX business, has made in maritime surveillance technology.
During a Sink Exercise (SINKEX) at RIMPAC, an MQ-9B SeaGuardian Unmanned Aircraft System, provided by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., employed the SVMR to conduct surveillance and imaging of multiple targets. This crucial data was transmitted to F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft, enabling them to successfully engage a decommissioned amphibious assault ship, the USS Tarawa (LHA-1), with a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).
Bryan Rosselli, president of Advanced Products & Solutions at Raytheon, emphasized the radar’s impact on modern warfare tactics. “SVMR proved its ability to capture high fidelity targeting data needed for successful weapons engagement in a maritime environment,” Rosselli stated. “The live-fire exercise enabled us to test and validate SVMR to ensure it can provide the situational awareness required in an operational environment – allowing faster decision making and more efficient kill chains.”
The SeaVue Multi-role Radar is a software-defined system designed to enhance all-weather surveillance across a variety of missions. It supports both crewed and uncrewed platforms, including fixed and rotary-wing aircraft as well as aerostats. Its technology allows for extended range and precise detection of small targets from operational altitudes, thereby improving monitoring and defense capabilities significantly.
Leveraging over six decades of surveillance radar innovation, SVMR features a modular and scalable architecture that not only enhances current capabilities but also supports affordable upgrades and sustainment. The radar has undergone extensive flight testing, proving its effectiveness in both low and high-altitude surveillance scenarios.