The U.S. Air Force has awarded Raytheon Co., Woburn, Massachusetts, a $15,165,090 firm-fixed-price contract to deliver a major software enhancement for Taiwan’s early warning radar system, strengthening the island’s ability to track and display launch objects amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
The new software build will upgrade Taiwan’s ground-based radar network, which serves as a critical component of its defense posture against potential missile and aerial threats from China.
Work on the project will be carried out in Woburn and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2027.
The contract, a sole-source acquisition, is funded through fiscal 2024 Building Partner Capacity funds and involves foreign military sales to Taiwan. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is overseeing the effort.
Taiwan’s early warning radar network is central to its national defense. Ground-based radar installations, typically characterized by large antennae and low frequencies, can detect and track People’s Liberation Army (PLA) flight activity from hundreds of kilometers away. Because radar detection is limited by line-of-sight constraints, systems placed on elevated terrain can provide a broader view — and Taiwan’s mountainous geography offers a strategic advantage.
In addition to conventional long-range radar platforms, Taiwan has invested heavily in early warning systems capable of detecting ballistic and land-attack cruise missile launches. These sensors are designed to provide advance notice of potentially catastrophic strikes, improving the island’s ability to respond to threats before they reach their targets.
One of the cornerstones of Taiwan’s early warning capability is a powerful ground-based radar system similar in appearance to the U.S. Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased Array Warning System (PAVE PAWS). The system is capable of detecting PLA ballistic missile launches shortly after they break the horizon — sometimes thousands of kilometers away. In addition to tracking ballistic threats, it can also detect air-breathing vehicles such as aircraft and cruise missiles, as well as maritime traffic transiting the Taiwan Strait.