Raytheon and MDA go green with X-Band radar upgrade
Sea Based X-Band radar. (Photo: USN)
A new redesigned, environmentally friendly cooling system is set to improve the Sea-Based X-Band Radar’s (SBX) reliability and reduce its carbon footprint.
Raytheon Missiles & Defense partnered with the US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) to redesign the cooling system using environmentally friendly materials, decreasing energy loads and greenhouse gas emissions.
The new design will reduce the annual energy consumption of SDX by an estimated 4,346,000 kilowatt-hours. Decreasing the system’s reliance on diesel generators is expected to reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 17,786t per annum.
Kevin Ryan, executive director for strategic sensor systems at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, said: ‘SBX is one of the most powerful missile defence radars deployed today,
‘We were able to decarbonize and reduce the environmental impact of the system without sacrificing performance.’
Raytheon said the new design improves reliability by increasing redundancy by 150 per cent.
The company added that operational availability and readiness were increased by reducing ‘minimizing’ system failures.
The nine-storey tall SBX is the world’s largest phased array, electro-mechanically steered X-band radar.
SBX Infographic. (Photo: Raytheon Missiles & Defense.)
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation]()
US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation
The US Navy’s planned nuclear-powered warship carries a US$275 billion price tag, but the greater story lies in the industrial overhaul needed to build it, from AI-enabled design to digital twins and modular construction.
-
![Asia-Pacific emerges as the largest export market for US-made USVs]()
Asia-Pacific emerges as the largest export market for US-made USVs
Asian customers have placed one of the largest known international purchases of US-built uncrewed surface vessels, highlighting accelerating regional demand for autonomous maritime capabilities and distributed naval operations.
-
![RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV]()
RTX confirms US Marine Corps and US Navy acquire Hadalus UUV
RTX told Shephard that the Hadalus UUV has been procured by the US Marine Corps and the Office of Naval Research for operational experimentation as the company prepares additional demonstrations with the US Navy, NATO and AUKUS partners.
-
![The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement]()
The UK joins the movement towards joint procurement
The UK will spend an estimated US$3.89 billion over the next decade in joint naval programmes, a lot of which will be in cooperation with Norway.
