尖端科技軍事雜誌社

不久前，美國海軍兩種最新的雷達還僅止於概念，但現在它們已經成為現實。

一型是旋轉式的、另一型是固定式，這兩種雷達將不間斷的掃視天空，協助海軍保衛他們的船艦、執行飛航管制並增強整體狀況覺知。現在，共分為SPY-6（V）2旋轉式與SPY-6（V）3固定式等兩種的新型挑戰者防空搜索雷達（Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar，簡稱EASR），已經完成測試並準備好部署。

雷神飛彈防禦公司EASR資深計畫經理David Fenn表示：「在三年前，它還只存在於簡報、分析以及表格上，但我們現在已經將紙本上的能力交付給部隊了。」

在維吉尼亞州的瓦勒普斯島（Wallops Island）上的水面戰鬥系統中心（Surface Combat System Center），雷神與美國海軍共同進行了該系統的測試。測試著重於兩種EASR雷達在防空作戰、飛航管制、氣象監控和電源供應系統。而EASR在未來將取代舊型單功能雷達，且擁有更長的偵測距離和效能。

這些EASR雷達同時也是SPY-6系列雷達的一份子。這系列先進海軍感測器，不僅能發現並追蹤戰機、巡弋飛彈、彈道飛彈，同時還能克服環境干擾因素，例如惡劣海象時的大浪產生的雜波干擾。為了能快速開發全新的EASR雷達，工程師們借鑑了先前開發SPY-6系列雷達的經驗，例如防空暨飛彈防禦雷達（Air and Missile Defense Radar，簡稱AMDR）。

正如Fenn談及製造EASR雷達的效率時指出：「通常當初次生產新型號的雷達時，多少都會遭遇到延宕，但在這個項目上，我們在指定日期就完成了首具雷達陣列。而有辦法達成這樣的成果，很多是歸功於先前從AMDR雷達上得到的經驗。」而不論是SPY-6（V）2或（V）3都是可高度客製化的，因為它們都是以同一個基礎單元─2x2x2方塊的架構上製造，且兩者都是用原本經海軍驗證且持續改進之SPY-6軟體進行開發。

AN/SPY-6（V）2將會安裝在兩棲突擊艦和尼米茲航空母艦上，而AN/SPY-6（V）3則會整合到福特級航空母艦和未來全新的星座級巡防艦（FFG-62）上。

一種尺寸，滿足全部

SPY-6 EASR雷達比它將要取代的雷達要小20%，因此能節省占用之甲板空間。更小的尺寸和更強的性能，讓EASR雷達更容易安裝在國內與國際海軍客戶的船艦上。如SPY-6（V）3型將會安裝到原先安裝AN/SPS-48與AN/SPS-49雷達的船艦平台上。

通用化以降低成本

透過使用與SPY-6計畫相同的架構和軟體，能有效降低雷達全壽期內的運作成本。這些雷達容易維護，共有四個基本部位，且全部只需要兩種工具即可完成維修。雷神飛彈防禦公司海軍雷達計畫區域主任Scott Spence表示：「我們能多協助海軍降低他們的運作和維護成本，對國家的幫助就越大！」

在2020年7月，美國海軍授予雷神一筆1.26億美元合約，用以生產4具SPY-6（V）2旋轉式與2具SPY-6（V）3固定式雷達。廠商在生產完雷達後將預計於2021年4月展開準實地測試，並預計在2023年1月將這些雷達交付給美國海軍。

最後，Spence說：「美國海軍有著對下一代雷達的期望理念，而我們則負責將它實現。但這還不是終點，因為這型雷達將會依未來遇到的威脅而持續進步！」

New eyes for the fleet

Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar gets advancements - sees better and farther

Not so long ago, the U.S. Navy’s two newest radars were nothing more than ideas.

One would rotate. The other would stand still. Together, they would cover the skies nonstop, helping the Navy defend its ships, conduct air traffic control and increase its overall situational awareness.

Now, the SPY-6（V）2 rotating radar and the SPY-6（V）3 fixed-face radar – known together as EASR, or Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar – have completed testing and are about ready to deploy.

“Three years ago, it was PowerPoint presentations, analysis and spreadsheets and here we are preparing to deliver this capability to the fleet,” said David Fenn, senior program manager for EASR at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business.

The Navy and Raytheon Missiles and Defense conducted testing at the Surface Combat System Center at Wallops Island, Virginia. The tests focused on anti-air warfare and air traffic control capabilities, weather operations, and power systems for both radars. The EASR will replace single-function legacy radars and improve range and performance.

The radars are part of the SPY-6 family – a group of advanced naval sensors that can find and track targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, all while resisting interference from the environment, like high waves on rough seas.

Engineers used lessons learned from earlier SPY-6 radars such as the AMDR, or Air and Missile Defense Radar, to develop the new EASR variants quickly.

“Normally, when you do a first-time production build, you have delays, but we finished the first array exactly to the day we said we were going to,” Fenn said. “A lot of that is a result of the work we did on AMDR （Air and Missile Defense Radar） previously.”

Both are highly customizable because they’re built from a common base unit – a two-by-two-by-two cube, and both use variants of the original SPY-6 software, which the Navy has already validated and the business has improved over time.

The AN/SPY-6（V）2 will be installed on amphibious assault ships and Nimitz-class carriers. The AN/SPY-6（V）3 will be incorporated on Ford-class aircraft carriers, and will be a centerpiece of the Navy’s new Constellation-class frigates （FFG 62）.

One size fits all

The SPY-6 EASR radar is 20 percent smaller than the radars it’s replacing, freeing up deck space.

The smaller size and capabilities make EASR applicable for domestic and international navies. The SPY-6 V（3） version is designed to retrofit onto platforms that previously carried AN/SPS-48 and AN/SPS-49 radars.

Commonalities cut costs

Using the same building blocks and software as the rest of the SPY-6 program drives down the operating costs of the radar over its lifetime.

The radars are easy to maintain – they have four basic parts, and it takes only two tools to make any repair.

“The more we can help the Navy reduce their operating and sustainment costs, the better it is for the nation as a whole,” said Scott Spence, program area director for naval radars at Raytheon Missiles & Defense.

In July 2020, the Navy awarded Raytheon a $126 million contract to produce four SPY-6（V）2 rotators and two SPY-6（V）3 fixed-faced radars.

The business is building the first arrays and started near-field range testing in April 2021. The radars are expected to be delivered to the Navy by January 2023.

“The Navy had an idea of what their next-generation radar would be and we’re bringing it to fruition,” Spence said. “We’re not done – this radar will evolve with the threats it has to counter.”