Radar Development
Abstract
This funding line is a key enabler of the Army Modernization Priorities in support of the Sentinel Radar program and will provide for an incrementally fielded Integrated Air and Missile Defense Fire Control System/capability for the composite Army Air and Missile Defense Brigades. The Sentinel system is a key component of the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) architecture, providing critical air surveillance of the forward areas. The AIAMD architecture is an integrated fires development effort that includes survivability, resiliency, and effectiveness improvements against advanced threats from near-peer adversaries. This effort includes integration with an evolving common fires mission command, common development tools and processes, and annual test and evaluation to provide data to support program assessments and progress toward closure of performance gaps. Sentinel A3 consists of a radar-based sensor with its prime mover/power, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), and Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command, Control and Intelligence (C2I) interfaces. The radar is deployed in both an air defense role and a force protection role for Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) missions. The sensor is an advanced three-dimensional battlefield X-Band air defense phased-array radar with an instrumented range of 75 kilometers. Sentinel is capable of operating day or night, in adverse weather conditions, in the battlefield environments of dust, smoke, aerosols and enemy countermeasures. It provides 360-degree azimuth coverage for acquisition tracking. Sentinel contributes to the digital battlefield by automatically detecting, classifying, identifying and reporting targets (cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft systems, rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft). Sentinel acquires targets sufficiently forward of the battle area to allow weapons reaction time and engagement at optimum ranges. Sentinel's integrated IFF reduces the potential for fratricide of U.S. and Coalition aircraft. The Sentinel A4 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) is the next generation of radar technology to replace the current phase and frequency scanned array used by Sentinel today. Sentinel A4 hardware and software upgrades will extend the range for ground-based surveillance and situational awareness; will have faster and more accurate Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR) for clearing fires and preventing fratricide; will improve track accuracy, and management of larger track loads; and improve operation in severe/urban clutter. The system will provide simultaneous multi-mission capability and provides hemispherical surveillance to detect and track small targets, such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Cruise Missiles, in clutter and will detect and track slow targets, such as UAS and Rotary Wing aircraft, at low altitudes in clutter. The system will detect, track, and classify Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (RAM) threats and will support M-SHORAD, AIAMD, IFPC and Guam Defense Systems (GDS) Operational requirements with Fire Control quality tracks. Sentinel A4 will incorporate the upgraded AN//TPX-61 IFF with M-Code capability added by replacing the GB-Gram card with M-Code GB-Gram cards. Sentinel A4 will also address system survivability enhancements via the Air and Missile Defense - Integration (AMD-I) efforts. Sentinel A4 will incorporate an adjunct sensor to provide additional technology for the detection and identification of current and emerging threats. The Army Long-Range Persistent Surveillance (ALPS) is a persistent, passive air surveillance sensor system. ALPS capabilities include long-range, 360-degree surveillance against conventional fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft, UAS, and cruise missiles. ALPS supports tactical to strategic operations via its capability to connect with multiple Army and Joint Command and Control systems including the IAMD Battle Command System (IBCS). The ALPS program tasks include all programmatic and engineering activities needed to modernize systems currently supporting multiple Combatant Commands and design/development effort to provide a passive capability to Army Air and Missile Defense forces in accordance with the requirements in the Capability Development Document (CDD).
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2025
- Source ID
- 0604820A_5_2040_PB_2025
- Change Summary Explanation
- In FY2025 an addition of $31.1M for Army Long-range Persistent Surveillance (ALPS) (Project PS1) and a reduction of $3.9M for Sentinel (Project E10) results in a net change of $27.2M to Radar Development Program Element.
- Service Agency Name
- Army
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army
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