JLENS' ability to defeat anti-ship cruise missile demonstrated

The US Army and US Navy have carried out testing on the Raytheon Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) to demonstrate that defensive systems currently in the US Navy's inventory can be integrated with JLENS to provide overland cruise missile defense from the sea.

During the test, a JLENS' fire-control radar acquired and tracked a surrogate anti-ship cruise missile target. The track information was passed to sailors via the Raytheon-made Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) sensor-netting system. The sailors then fired a Raytheon-made Standard Missile-6 at the target. Initial SM-6 guidance used targeting information provided by the JLENS via CEC to the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) until the SM-6's onboard radar was able to acquire and track the target.

Dean Barten, the US Army's JLENS product manager, said: ‘JLENS has demonstrated its ability to integrate with other components of Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, significantly expanding the force's cruise missile defense umbrella. Commanders can detect threats shortly after they are launched with JLENS' 360-degree, long-range surveillance capability, while the JLENS integrated fire-control radar enables commanders to more effectively employ weapons like the Standard Missile 6.’

Dave Gulla, vice president of Global Integrated Sensors in Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business, said: ‘JLENS is a proven asset that, when deployed, will protect US and coalition lives. JLENS' long-range surveillance capability extends the battlespace and gives commanders more time to identify and respond to incoming threats, instead of the handful of seconds they have today.’