The U.S. Navy's Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) has awarded Raytheon Company up to $104 million to conduct operations and maintenance for the Relocatable Over-the-Horizon Radar (ROTHR) program. ROTHR is a long-range surveillance radar used by the U.S. government in counter narco-terrorism operations. Raytheon designed and built ROTHR and will provide operations support, modernization and maintenance of the radar system.

“Raytheon and ROTHR technology help to make the world a safer place. Our team will work closely with the U.S. Navy's Forces Surveillance Support Center and the Joint Interagency Task Force South, tracking hundreds of illegal activities every year that threaten to enter our borders,” said Dave Wajsgras, President of Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS).

ROTHR is a high-frequency radar system originally designed and built to provide long-range detection and tracking of aircraft and ships. Each radar provides more than 2.5 million square miles of coverage area, resulting in extremely low operational costs.

“Raytheon will provide critical mission support to ROTHR, collecting vital detection and tracking data for operational commanders. This new contract demonstrates trust in Raytheon to bring innovative, no-fail sustainment, modernization and operations support to the critical mission of securing our borders,” said Todd Probert, Vice President of Mission Support and Modernization at Raytheon IIS.

ROTHR is the primary long-range air detection system for the Join Interagency Task Force South, or JIATF-S, which coordinates the detection and interdiction of illicit trafficking and other narco-terrorist threats to U.S. national security. In just one interdiction, ROTHR operations led directly to the seizure of 4.5 metric tons of cocaine, valued at approximately $90 million. The new contract covers operations and maintenance at ROTHR's six locations in Puerto Rico, Texas and Virginia.

Meanwhile, Raytheon Company and the U.S. Navy's Naval Air Systems Command have deployed advanced mission control for the MQ-8 Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter, aboard the Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado, which is now underway. Navy control hardware and Raytheon control software were combined for robust, flexible command and control of Fire Scout missions in littoral waters.

The USS Coronado is one of the Navy's newest Littoral Combat Ships, designed to operate close to shorelines. Coronado's deployment of Fire Scout extends the fleet's situational awareness.

“Raytheon’s UAV ground controls help support Navy missions without putting sailors' lives at risk. Our innovative technology is helping the U.S. military evolve standards of performance and reliability as they accomplish their critical missions more efficiently and effectively,” said Probert.

Navy hardware and Raytheon’s software are built with an open architecture, maximizing flexibility to add new technology as needed. Under a related effort, the Navy's Common Control System, or NCCS, will be able to control any air, ground, surface and subsurface vehicles as they deploy with the fleet. Built on the flexible foundation of Fire Scout MCS, that capability will reduce Navy-wide implementation costs and training requirements for unmanned systems.

“Our new Fire Scout MCS enables Fire Scout to bring more mission to more areas. Fire Scout is a proven capability in dynamic littoral environments, and now provides the potential for multiple platforms to be controlled from a single MCS aboard the ship,” said Captain Jeff Dodge, U.S. Navy, Fire Scout Program Manager.

USS Coronado is the first Littoral Combat Ship to use this upgraded Fire Scout MCS operationally, after logging 600+ hours of testing.